Radiant Snow: Hinata and Akari's Story
by S.P.D. Gold Ranger
Summary: We all know that Hinata and Akari, elementals of snow and light, have always been the best of friends, unconditionally there for each other. But what exactly happened in their lives prior to their appearance in Yukizora no Tomodachi?
1. Act 1: Person or Persons Unknown

(Prologue, written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

"INCOMING!!!!" a blonde-haired girl with brown eyes exclaimed to her friend as she jumped away from the swipe of a massive sword.

The blonde girl's friend, a girl about her age with ruby red hair and cherry pink eyes, went into a diving roll to evade another swipe from the massive swords.

The wielder of the giant swords, a large ape covered with battle armor, growled loudly. "Stand still, brats!!!"

"Fat chance, monkey boy!!" the blonde girl shot back, sticking her tongue out at the ape.

"Hey, Hinata-chan... I don't think you should provoke him..." the red-haired girl responded, sweatdropping a bit.

"Oh, relax, Akari-chan, I can take him!!" Hinata stated, striking a pose that only increased the size of Akari's sweatdrop. "Gaul doesn't stand a chance against my awesomeness!!"

"You brats would dare to defy me?!" Gaul growled, crossing his swords and slashing them apart, this motion launching a dark energy ball towards the two girls.

Hinata and Akari wasted no time in diving away from the attack.

"Now _give me your powers_," Gaul demanded.

"Hell, no!!!" Hinata shot back. "We're not giving you crud!!!"

"You know, Hinata-chan... sometimes I wonder how all this started..." Akari wondered.

"You know, that's a pretty good question..." Hinata responded. "I have no idea why all that stuff happened..."

(Author's Note from Nick: And here's your opening! Our song for today's program will be "Popcorn" by Mikumi Shimokawa!)

(Footage: As the sequence begins, Hinata and Akari are passing by the camera, unaware of the camera watching them. When they do notice, Akari just blushes and smiles. Hinata flips her lid and punches the camera, which falls and shows the sky. The _Radiant Snow: Hinata and Akari's Story_ logo appears onscreen not a second later.)

_yakusoku no jikan sugita no ni_

_ayamaru yousu mo nakute_

_(Although the promised time has passed_

_You didn't apologize)_

(Footage: Hinata sits up in her bed and yawns loudly, reaching out to slam her fist onto her alarm clock. Smiling brightly, she hops out of bed, slipping into her regular attire.)

_tsuki hi ga tattemo hito wa_

_igai ni kawaranai yo ne_

_(And even if the days go by..._

_People don't change just like that, you know?)_

(Footage: Cut to Akari slipping on her tennis shoes and waving to her family before heading out the door and rushing towards her school, a bright smile and a cute blush on her face.)

_ano hi ni okiwasureta kioku ga kyuu ni_

_(On that day the forgotten memories...)_

(Footage: When Akari arrives at school, she looks around frantically for someone, starting to get a little worried.)

_POPCORN mitai ni hajiketa..._

_(...suddenly popped up, just like popcorn)_

(Footage: Just then, Hinata skids to a stop in front of Akari, who calms down almost instantly. Akari smiles as Hinata takes her hand, and they both rush into the school.)

_nakanakutemo ii ja nai_

_(It's okay to cry)_

(Footage: Hinata charges forward, just barely avoiding an attack from Ghadius. She waves to Akari.)

_hisashiburi ni aeta karatte_

_(When we haven't met in so long)_

(Footage: Akari sets her sights on Ghadius, who is about to attack with a burst of dark magic, and unleashes a burst of light that blinds Ghadius. Akari just giggles as Hinata gives her a high-five.)

_donna toki mo kimi no koto wasureru hazu mo nai_

_(I probably won't ever forget about you, either)_

(Footage: Cut to Lephise singing along to the song, then zoom out to a far-away view of Cress. Cut to Ghadius laughing evilly.)

_datte itsumo sou kimi ga_

_konna ni mo yuuki kureru kara_

_(Because the way you are..._

_It always gives me courage)_

(Footage: Hinata blocks a strike from Gaul, then does a stylish backflip to in front of her house, where her family is standing by Akari's family. Hinata links her arm with Akari's and the two pose together as the sequence ends.)

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(What is a friend? A friend is someone close to you, someone you can trust unconditionally, someone who would never betray you in your time of need.)

**S.P.D. Gold Ranger** and **YukiShinoya444** present:

Ami Onuki as Hinata

Yumi Yoshimura as Akari

Sawa Ishige as Miyu

Megumi Toyoguchi as Yume

Mai Kadowaki as Rei

Mayaa Sakamoto as Hayato

Yuko Minaguchi as Lephise

Ryuzaburou Ohtomo as Ghadius

_Radiant Snow: Hinata and Akari's Story_

Story Created: July 20th, 2009

Story Completed: October 25th, 2009

Summary: We all know that Hinata and Akari, elementals of snow and light, have always been the best of friends, unconditionally there for each other. But what exactly happened in their lives prior to their appearance in _Yukizora no Tomodachi_? Follow Hinata and Akari's lives from their first meeting all the way to when they received their powers. Follow their life, their laughter, their love, their sorrow, and the tests someone mysterious will force them through...

Timeline Placement: About a year before _Yukizora no Tomodachi_, so around the time of chapter 9 of _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl_.

Disclaimer: Neither Yuki-chan nor I own ANYTHING of Ojamajo Doremi, though we really wish we did. The series and all of its affiliations belong to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their particular country. Hinata belongs to me, and Akari belongs to YukiShinoya444. Let's rock!

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Act 1: Person or Persons Unknown

**A few weeks ago...**

_Have you ever had a dream that you could remember quite clearly?_

The moon can be seen shining as something falls from it.

_Every night, people dream. And yet they can barely remember what they dreamed about._

The falling object gets closer with each passing second.

_But lately... I've been having a recurring dream. And the weird thing is... I can recall every detail of it._

The falling object turns out to be what appears to be a small airship.

_A space ship, falling from the moon... an ancient place, forgotten by the world... a shadow person, consumed by the darkness..._

A pair of dark red eyes open up.

_Just what does it all mean?_

"HINATA-CHAN!!!!!"

Hinata shot out of her bed at that, her blonde hair frizzy from her long nap.

"Ack... onee-chan, don't wake me up so abruptly like that!!" Hinata wailed, trying to fix her hair into a presentable state.

"Sorry, big sis," the young girl with spiky brown hair responded. "I just love waking you up like that!!"

"So help me, Miyu," Hinata growled. "When I want to take a nap, I WANT TO TAKE A NAP!!!!"

Miyu just giggled. She loved teasing her older sister.

"Well, okaa-sama wanted me to wake you up anyway," Miyu stated. "It's almost ten."

Hinata perked up at this, looking over at her alarm clock.

"HOLY TOLEDO, IT'S TEN ALREADY?!!" Hinata screamed, scrambling for her closet. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner, onee-chan?!"

"You sleep like a rock, Hinata," Miyu stated matter-of-factly. "Most of the time, outside sources will NEVER wake you up!!"

"Thanks for the encouragement," Hinata groaned.

Then, Hinata shoved Miyu out of her room. "All right, now out you get!! I gotta get changed!!"

Miyu smiled as Hinata slammed the door in her face. "She never changes, does she?"

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About ten minutes later, Hinata was dressed and ready to go, beach gear hanging from her shoulder.

"Right, then!! TO DA BEACH!!!" Hinata proclaimed. Miyu sweatdropped, while Hinata's parents, Yuko and Soshi, just laughed.

Once they were all in the car, Miyu looked up at her sister.

"You still annoyed that I woke you up like that?" Miyu asked.

"A little," Hinata answered. She then leaned over and kissed Miyu on the forehead. "But you're my onee-chan, and I love ya."

Miyu couldn't help but blush at the affectionate treatment. "I love you, too, Hinata."

Hinata and Miyu had their differences, like most siblings, but they still loved each other despite the fact that they often annoyed each other to no end.

Once they had arrived at Sunset Beach...

"YES!!! WE'RE HERE!!!" Hinata exclaimed, already scrambling out of the car before the rest of her family could even stop her.

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_The feeling of the sun shining on my face, a distant memory..._

The bright sun can be seen blazing.

_What was that feeling?_

Akari can be seen lying on the grass, her long, cherry pink hair spread out while her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping.

_Somehow, I'm just not sure... But this dream of mine... It feels more like a revelation... What does it mean though? If only I knew..._

A sigh escaped her lips, barely audible in the fluttering breeze.

_The information is just mesmerizing... Always entering my thoughts at every possible moment..._

She placed her hands on her cheeks, her face flushed.

_It feels as if every minute I drift closer, it gets further away from me... Why is that?_

"Akari~"

"Nee~"

"CHAAAN~!"

Akari's ruby red eyes jolted open at that as she quickly sat up, surrounded by her three younger siblings, the two twin girls and the one younger boy.

"Yume... Rei... Haya..."

"Hayato," the boy with short and slightly spiked tan-colored hair corrected, puffing his cheeks while the two twin sisters smiled, with Yume as the older one with her wavy light pink hair to her shoulder and Rei as the younger one with her light pink hair in two high ringlets with blue ribbons.

"Good morning, nee-nee~!!" they chanted in chorus, shoving Akari back down while Hayato gasped.

"Y-Yume!! Rei...!!"

"You're so boring, nee-nee..." Yume sighed, her hands on her hips. Rei nodded, her arms folded.

"So boring that even a rock would get tired of you!!" she agreed, laughing.

Akari sat back up, blinking in confusion while Hayato helped her up, sighing.

"S-Sorry, nee-chan... But you know how Yume and Rei are..."

The cherry pink-haired girl sighed at that, dusting off her skirt.

"You two can be such troublemakers..."

"It's your fault for being weird, Akari nee-nee," they accused at the same time with both of their hands on their hips before winking. "But that's why we love playing with you~!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Akari wondered while they rushed to her sides, grabbing her hands.

"Who cares~!"

"Just come with us, nee-nee, otou-san and okaa-san are waiting~!"

"Yes, they are~!"

"O-Oh really?" Akari blinked in surprise before sighing. "Okay... Let's go then..."

"Moving forward!!" Hayato exclaimed while he pushed her and the twins pulled her forward, all of them laughing and cheerful like always.

Akari blinked again, and smiled, blushing a bit as she laughed herself.

_These three..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Okaa-san~!!" Yume exclaimed, holding out her free hand.

"Otou-san~!!" Rei exclaimed in turn, mirroring her sister's position.

"We brought nee-nee!!" they squealed, swinging Akari forward, making her fall flat on her face. "Praise us! Praise us!!"

_H-Having younger siblings is a lot of work..._ The oldest sister thought miserably as she tried to get up, only to be handed a handkerchief, making her look up at the smiling woman with short cherry pink hair like hers.

"O-Okaa-san..."

Akari's mother just smiled as her father walked up, who had tan-colored hair just like Hayato.

"Haruna... Our daughter sure is working hard, isn't she?"

"But why wouldn't she, Kyon?" Haruna asked with a laugh, wiping off Akari's cheek. "She is the oldest sister after all... And her job is to make her younger siblings smile."

"Nee-nee's smile!! Nee-nee's smile!!" Yume and Rei chanted while Hayato chuckled.

"Akari-nee-chan's nice..."

Akari blushed at that but sighed.

_But sometimes I wonder if I'm just pushing myself... Yume and Rei may be really cute... But they really take a lot on me... I don't like the stress..._

"Onee-chan?"

She perked up, looking towards Hayato who blinked.

"Are you hurt, onee-chan?"

"N-No Haya, I'm fine..." His sister quickly smiled. "Don't worry about me..."

"Nee-nee's hurt!!" Yume exclaimed, surprised.

"Nee-nee's denying it!!" Rei squealed, switching to dramatic shock.

"C-Could it be that she has the deadly disease where all they do is deny, deny, deny?!" Yume gasped, shocked.

"SAY IT ISN'T SOOOO~!!!" Rei wailed, already crying her eyes out. "I DON'T WANT NEE-NEE TO DIE!!!"

"ME NEITHER!!!" Yume wailed, flailing her arms about.

"C-Calm down you two, I'm fine!!" Akari exclaimed, exasperated, halting their tears for the time being. "Really... Just thinking!!"

"About what?" they inquired, curious.

"I give up..." Akari sighed, slumping.

"Nee-nee?"

"Onee-chan?" Hayato worried, worried all over again.

Haruna and Kyon just looked at each other and laughed.

"Akari, why don't you grab your things and help your sisters pack?" Akari's mother suggested, smiling. "We have somewhere special to go..."

"YAY SURPRIZES!!!" Yume and Rei cheered, their sorrow and all else forgotten.

Akari simply blinked.

_Somewhere special?_

Her eyes turned dazed.

_I wonder..._

"NEE-NEE, HURRY!!" Yume exclaimed, throwing a book at her, making her quickly stand up.

"I'm going, I'm going!!"

"Nee-nee's so cute~!" Rei squealed, slipping her hand into her twin sister's. "Hurry up, nee-nee~!"

"R-Right..."

Akari's sweatdrop increased as she followed after them, sighing.

_I really don't know...how much more I can take..._

"Onee-chan sure is durable..." Hayato noted with a sigh. "I worry about her a lot..."

"Haya," Haruna started, ruffling her son's hair. "Why don't you get ready too?"

Hayato just nodded, scampering to his room.

"Haruna... Don't you worry as well?" Kyon wondered. "Akari has been acting weird lately, hasn't she?"

"It's called growing up, Kyon." Haruna sighed, standing up straight. "Akari's fine."

"If you say so..."

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"Special trip! So excited!!"

"Yume, where do you think it is~?"

"I don't know, Rei!!"

"Maybe it's the beach~!"

"I don't think so, Rei..."

"Maybe it's a picnic~!"

"Maybe not, Rei..."

"MAYBE IT'S SOMEWHERE FUN!!!"

"Of course, Rei!!"

Akari sighed as her sisters' squealing continued in the background, folding her clothes ever so neatly.

_Those two are such handfuls..._

As much as she adored her two younger twin siblings, for them to go so far the way they did, always yanking on her hair and clothes, it felt like she was slowly being driven insane.

_I swear..._

She blinked as she stared blankly at her stuff, sighing.

_How do I put up with them?_

Akari sighed heavily, ruffling one of her skirts.

_Even I'm not so sure..._

"Nee-nee!!" the twins squealed, knocking on her door. "We're ready~!!"

"C-Coming!!" Akari exclaimed, grabbing her stuff and rushing out.

_The real question may be how much longer this will take before I explode..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_I love the beach. Despite the fact that my favorite season is winter for some weird reason, I just love going to the beach when it's really freaking hot outside._

Hinata dived underwater and then came back up all in the space of a few seconds, only to get splashed in the face by Miyu.

_This is my sister Miyu. She's eleven years old and a major pain in the neck. But I still love her._

Hinata smirked before splashing back with a massive sweeping attack.

_My father Soshi is a photographer for our local wildlife magazine, and my mother Yuko is a model. Yeah, a lot of guys swoon over her. Dad gets pretty jealous sometimes._

Miyu resurfaced, only for Hinata to dive underwater and grab Miyu's legs in an attempt to submerge her.

_But... I've been telling my family about the weird dream I've been having... well, Miyu just thinks I'm losing my beans, and mom and dad are just confused as all get out._

Hinata gazed up at the sun, smiling brightly.

_But... why do I remember that dream so clearly?_

"TOO SLOW, HINATA!!!" Miyu giggled, swiftly dunking her older sister before she could react.

Hinata quickly resurfaced, a look in her eyes that could positively kill, even though she was just playing around.

"Get ready for retribution, Miyu!!!" Hinata exclaimed, swimming expertly towards her younger sister.

"Hey, girls!! Who's hungry?" Soshi stated. Both girls perked up at this.

"LUNCH!!!!" Hinata and Miyu exclaimed at the same time. They always got excited because Soshi often took them to some of the coolest restaurants in town when they decided to eat out.

"I know this great seventies-style eatery that's right down the street from the beach," Soshi explained. "We could grab a bite to eat there!!"

"YES!!!!" Miyu exclaimed.

_Yes, Miyu loves eating at those trendy classic places that take you back in time, in a way. They're decidedly retro classic._

Once everyone was in their seats at the restaurant, aptly named Twilight Eats, Miyu just couldn't contain her excitement.

However, the instant that Hinata and her family were about to place their orders, a trio of masked men burst into the store, carrying all sorts of weaponry.

"Everyone down, NOW!!!" one of the men shouted.

"Don't force us to start shooting, because we will!!" the second man continued.

"Now, whoever's in charge here, give us all your money," the first man demanded.

"And all of your frozen hamburgers!!" the third man stated.

"Damn it, I told you, we're not getting any eats!!" the first man screamed.

"But I'm hungry..."

"You're always hungry, you dimwit!!"

Hinata couldn't help but sweatdrop from her family's cover. Definitely not your conventional robbers...

Before she could react, however, Miyu tripped and fell to the ground with a squeak.

This attracted the attention of one of the robbers, and he fired on Miyu, the bullet grazing her shoulder.

Hinata nearly went into shock at this. Suddenly finding courage, she leapt up to face the robbers, despite the protests of her family.

"HEY!!!" Hinata exclaimed, catching the robbers' attention.

"Oh, isn't this cute? Little bitch thinks she can stop us," the second robber taunted, aiming his gun towards Hinata...

...but she was already rushing forward before the robber could even reach for the trigger, the blonde-haired girl launching a vicious uppercut and knocking the would-be attacker straight into the wall.

"Take THAT!!!" Hinata exclaimed.

"I'd stand down if I were you," the first robber stated, gesturing to the third robber, who had a knife to Miyu's throat. "One false move, and the cutie dies."

Hinata growled, a mysterious light surrounding her. "Let go of her."

"Oh? Or what?" the robber shot back.

Just then, droves of frost-blue energy began to surround Hinata.

"I SAID, LET GO OF MY SISTER!!!!" Hinata screamed before throwing her arms outward, this motion creating a massive wave of immense snowflakes that swept the entire restaurant and launched the robbers away, surprisingly not wrecking the restaurant in the process.

Once the energy wave was clear, Hinata looked at her own hands, a mix of curiosity and fear flickering across her face.

"Onee-chan?" Miyu asked, holding her hand over her shoulder to suppress her wound. "How... how did... how did you..."

"I... have... no... idea," Hinata responded softly.

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"Nee-nee's so slow!!"

"She's super slow!!"

"Yume... Rei..."

Akari sighed heavily, slumping a bit.

_These are my two little twin sisters, Yume and Rei, both age ten..._

"Will Nee-nee ever hurry?" Yume chimed, yanking on Rei's hand as she laughed.

_Yume's the older one, so she's much bossier than Rei is..._

"But maybe something's holding her back?" Rei wondered, a little concerned.

_Rei, being the younger one, is a little more submissive and soft-spoken than Yume is..._

"Or maybe not?" they wondered at the same time. "NEE-NEE, YOU'RE SO BORING!!!"

Akari sweatdropped at that. "You two..."

Together though, they act like everything's a game to them...

"Nee-nee," Yume called. "Why are you so slow? Hurry up!!"

"Just start running!!" Rei exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Their confused older sister just blinked at that.

_And sometimes... I wonder how long it will be before someone sets those two straight... I still love them, though... That's probably why I tolerate most of their pranks..._

"Nee-chan..." Hayato began as he slowed down to meet his oldest sister's pace. "Do you want me to help carrying your bag?"

Akari blushed at that, quickly smiling.

_What a sweetheart..._

"No Haya, it's fine, really..."

_This is my youngest brother, Hayato, age eight. He's the reason why I always put up with the twins. He may be younger, but he's the nicest and most affectionate child a parent could ask for... I just adore him..._

Hayato smiled at that, hopping up to his parents, earning Akari to simply sigh.

"Otou-san!! Okaa-san!!"

_My father Kyon is an executive of this company and gets a lot of money for it... That's a good thing I suppose..._

"Haruna, are we close?"

Haruna simply nodded, her hand tightening around her husband's.

"Un. We should be there soon, Kyon."

_My mother Haruna is almost always at home, though sometimes she works part-time as some sort of designer... In fact, the twins wear everything custom-designed by her..._

She looked up at the sun again, a smile crossing her face.

_I haven't told anyone about my strange revelations... I know Yume and Rei will just tease me about it... But I'm worried..._

"HURRY UP NEE-NEE!!!" Rei and Yume exclaimed in chorus, making her quickly perk up.

But every time...

"O-Oh, sorry, sorry!!"

_Every time, I'm drawn closer to that strange energy... Pulling, pulling..._

Akari looked up at the sun, lowering her eyelids.

_And for some reason... Staring at the sun... The full moon... Any source of light... It drains away those anxieties... I love that feeling._

"The forest is up ahead!!" Hayato exclaimed, clinging to Haruna's hand. "Stay close, everyone!!"

_The forest...? I hate the forest... I can't ever see the sun..._

Akari stopped in her place, where the sunlight ended into the shadows of the woods.

_I can't understand why we're always camping there..._

"Nee-nee~!!" Yume exclaimed, rushing up to her. "Why aren't you hurrying?"

"Nee-nee~!!" Rei exclaimed, rushing up as well. "Are you still afraid of the dark?"

Akari blushed at that, laughing a bit.

_Ha..._

"A-A little..."

_They never miss anything, huh?_

"COWARD!!" they accused at the same time, making her falter.

"You two..."

"Just kidding, nee-nee," Rei stated, embracing her older sister. "We'll protect you!"

"No need to worry~!" Yume giggled, yanking on Akari's arm.

"Fine, I'll go, I'll go..."

_No use protesting..._

"YAY!!" they cheered at the same time as they pulled Akari forward, who just stared at the sun until the trees got in the way, and frowned.

_Great, it's already getting dark..._

"Akari, Yume, Rei..." Haruna called, smiling. "Stay close, alright?"

"We'll stay close!!" Yume exclaimed while Rei nodded.

"Don't worry, okaa-san!!"

Akari frowned, sighing.

_Right now... All I want to do is disappear..._

Her eyes turned unclear in the darkness, and she suddenly snapped up.

_Huh? Was someone calling my name?_

"Nee-nee..." Rei wondered, a bit confused. "Is something wrong?"

"Something wrong?" Yume echoed, just as confused. "What's wrong, nee-nee?"

"It's nothing..." Akari muttered quickly, still looking off to the distance. "Nothing..."

_What a strange feeling... Another revelation, perhaps?_

"NEE-NEE!!!" Yume exclaimed, yanking on her hair, earning a yelp. "Lying is bad!! We can tell that you're lying!!"

"Yume..." the oldest sister began, grimacing.

_These two..._

"Yume, be more gentle with nee-nee," Rei protested, her voice soft. "Besides, getting a grip on her hair never works... Flipping her skirt always has the best results..."

Akari slumped at that.

_Oh..._

"Please don't, Rei..."

_They really are handfuls..._

"Just kidding, don't worry!!"

"Rei's such a troublemaker," Yume huffed before perking up. "Hey... Where's otou-san, okaa-san, and Haya?"

"WE'RE LOST!!" Rei gasped, clinging to Akari. "What do we do now, nee-nee?!"

"R-Rei... Don't worry..."

"Let's just hurry and find them, Rei!!" Yume exclaimed, grabbing Rei's hand and rushing off ahead with her.

"Wait you two, don't run off..." Akari stopped as soon as they were out of sight. "And... And leave me here..."

_Oh man..._

She looked around, frowning.

_Not again..._

"This always happens..." the cherry red-haired girl sighed, walking forward with her arms hung low. "I'm always left behind..."

_How do I take it?_

Akari looked about again, shivering as she rubbed her arms.

_Should I wait here? Or should I go?_

She suddenly perked up again.

"Wait..."

_There that feeling is again..._

Her ruby red eyes glowed and she soon blacked out, disappearing in a flash of light.

_What is it...?_

Just then, the twins rushed back, groaning at how they'd forgotten their older sister.

"I can't believe you left nee-nee alone, Yume!!"

"Sorry, sorry, Rei!!"

They looked about, confused.

"Nee-nee!! Where are you?"

Yume suddenly perked up, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Has nee-nee...disappeared?"

"Nee-nee?" Rei wondered, worried as ever.

Their hand's separated as they screamed.

"NEE-NEE!!!"

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_Suddenly, everything got really weird._

Hinata had rushed to her room the instant she and her family had returned home, still very confused as to what had just happened.

_Those freaks tried to jack the eatery... and when one of them tried to hurt my sister, for some reason I went crazy and kicked their butts with a massive snowstorm, of all things._

Hinata looked out her open window.

_This is freaking me out... what's happening to me? And... does this have something to do with the dream I've been having?_

"Onee-chan?" Miyu asked from outside the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Come on in, sis," Hinata stated. Miyu slowly opened the door and stepped into Hinata's room. "How's your shoulder?"

"It didn't do too much to me," Miyu answered. "Just a light hit is all."

"That's good," Hinata responded, breathing a sigh of relief. "I was so worried about you, sis..."

"Onee-chan?" Miyu asked. "I was wondering... how did you do that big snowstorm that saved my life?"

Hinata looked down at her hands, that event replaying in her mind over and over. "To be honest, sis... I have no clue. I just saw those bastards holding a knife at your throat, and I just lost it... I had no idea I'd unleash a blizzard the next second..."

Hinata looked down at her knees. "You must think I'm a total freak..."

Miyu then surprised Hinata by giving her a big hug. "I've ALWAYS thought you were a bit of a freak. Probably because of the way you snore..."

Even in her frightened and confused state, Hinata couldn't help but giggle at that.

"But you're my sister," Miyu continued. "And that means that I love you, no matter what happens. Okay?"

Hinata smiled, a good chunk of her fear seemingly disappearing.

"Thanks, sis."

_That's one of the things I've always liked about Miyu: she can be very mature when she needs to be. That's one of the reasons I love her so much, despite her being a royal pain in my rear sometimes._

The two sisters just stayed like that for a while, locked in each other's embrace.

"Say, Hinata?" Miyu continued. "Okaa-sama and otou-san wanted to talk to you about something... I think it may have something to with that blizzard you unleashed..."

Hinata perked up at that, question marks appearing over her head.

_That got me confused. What exactly did my parents know about this that I didn't?_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Something you two wanted to talk to me about?" Hinata asked once she'd met up with her parents.

"About the other day..." Yuko stated, quite uneasy about whatever she was about to say.

"Mom. You make it sound like I need to know this, despite the fact that it may not sit too well with me," Hinata noted. "So if you have to say it, say it. Okay?"

Yuko just nodded. "I never thought we'd have to tell you like this, but..."

"I'm not your daughter, am I?" Hinata realized.

"You ARE our daughter," Soshi interjected. "Just not our real one. Our real daughter was stillborn, and it nearly tore up Yuko. A couple years later... we found you in the forest, all bundled up in the snow."

"There was a note lying on your chest when we found you," Yuko continued. "It read 'To the parents who lost their child... this girl is a gift for you from the edge of time. She has the ability to control the winter, but I have sealed those powers away. I fear that Ghadius may recognize her power and attempt to kill her. She is your daughter now. Take good care of her.' You were a wonderful girl, Hinata... and we couldn't bear to give you up because of a stupid prophecy."

"And yes, it's true, Hinata," Soshi stated. "Your mother and I have the same powers you do."

"Wait, wait, I'm confused," Hinata cut in, waving her hands. "I thought my powers were sealed away, just like that note had said. So why do I still have them?"

"My guess is that your sealed abilities grew in power over the years you spent with us, and they somehow unlocked themselves when Miyu was attacked at the restaurant..." Yuko explained.

Suddenly, Yuko and Soshi nearly fell over.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked.

Yuko started shivering, but surprisingly, Soshi rubbing her shoulders didn't do much to calm her down.

"No... I should have known..." Yuko growled.

"What? What's the matter?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"When your powers awakened..." Yuko stated. "I knew it would happen..."

"Ghadius knows you've awakened," Soshi explained. "If I were you, Hinata, I'd get your sister and get the hell out of here."

"But... why? I'm not going to abandon my family!!!" Hinata shot back. "I'll take this Ghadia-whatever freak on myself if I have to!!!"

"Spirit and determination will not be enough," Yuko chided. "I mean no offense, Hinata dear, but you have absolutely no idea what Ghadius is capable of."

"Please, Hinata... just take Miyu and go..." Soshi continued. "Just remember that we love you with all our hearts..."

Hinata stood there for a couple seconds. "...okay. And, mom? Dad? For what it's worth, even though I'm not your real daughter... I love you, too."

With that, Hinata rushed upstairs to retrieve her sister.

Yuko and Soshi shifted into battle stances, frost-blue energy surrounding their hands.

"Yuko... you understand that we are nowhere near a match for Ghadius, even with him split into his seven phases as he is," Soshi noted.

"I understand that, Soshi," Yuko responded, the energy around her hands pulsing. "But I love Hinata and Miyu very much, and to protect them, I WILL fight to the death."

"**Very well, then..."**

A dark shadow appeared behind Yuko and Soshi.

"**To the death it is."**

The screen fades to black, but we hear a rather disturbing sound.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I'm so sorry, Miyu..." Hinata stated once again as her little sister continued to cry. "I'm sorry we had to leave..."

"We'll find a way, right, sis?" Miyu stated through her tears.

Hinata couldn't do much but nod.

_I didn't have the heart to tell Miyu that this Ghadius bastard had just murdered mom and dad... I couldn't do that to someone I love... but somehow, I think she already knew of our parent's fate..._

Hinata looked up at the stars while still comforting Miyu.

_Little did I know that I was about to get my chance to take my revenge on Ghadius... and little did I know that I was about to meet a cute, ruby-haired girl who would change my life forever..._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"Where am I?"

"Between the ends of the bonds throughout time, young one,"

Akari's eyes fluttered open, aware of the warm arms surrounding her, like a blanket.

"W-Who...?"

She met the sapphire eyes of a blond-haired woman, who smiled gently at her, parting the cherry-red hair from her eyes.

"Beautiful... You truly are one with the sun, the moon, and the stars, aren't you?"

"Who are you?" Akari forced out, gasping. "Do we know each other?"

"Questions that will be answered in time, sweetheart," the woman stating, stroking her cheek. "I'm here only to see that you're alright... Your other half is in so much pain...and that pain will transfer to you pretty soon."

Akari's eyes jolted wide at that.

_My other half? Pain? What's going on...?_

That's when she gasped, breaking free of her grasp and rushing off into the distance.

The woman smiled, sighing.

"Still so young...yet grown up all the same..."

She soon giggled, disappearing with a wave of silk.

"I like that maiden."

_Let's hope she can survive the trials to come...and that other half of hers..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"NEE-NEE!!!" Yume screamed, looking around with Rei beside her.

"Yume, I don't think nee-nee's this way..."

"But we have to keep looking, Rei... WE HAVE TO!!!"

Yume punched a nearby tree, letting out a frustrated scream.

"NEE-NEE!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"

"Yume... There, there..." Rei murmured, rubbing her older twin's shoulders. "We'll find nee-nee...together."

Yume looked towards her younger twin, throwing her arms around her.

"I love you, Rei."

"I love you too, Yume."

Rei smiled brightly, returning the embrace.

"Don't worry, it's alright... We'll find nee-nee together."

Yume weakly nodded, sniffling.

"T-Thanks..."

They separated, and the younger twin laughed, brushing aside some of her sister's hair.

"Let's go, okay Yume?"

Yume's smile brightened.

"Okay. Together. We've been together since birth and always will be, right?"

"Right!!"

Yume laughed as she and Rei held hands, running ahead to keep looking for Akari.

"NEE-NEE!!! COME ON OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!"

Just then, Rei heard a snap, and Yume stopped confused.

"What was that?"

Rei's eyes widened in horror as she spotted the tree fall over, Yume in its path.

No...

"Is something falling?" the older twin wondered, completely oblivious.

"YUME, LOOK OUT!!!" Rei screeched, shoving her sister forward as the tree collapsed, making Yume fall face flat into the dirt.

"O-Owww... Rei, that was way too rough!! I'm going to have to have our parents punish you when we find..."

She trailed off at the sight of her lifeless sister below the tree, blood dripping down her cheek.

"...them?"

Yume's eyes widened in horror, filling with confused tears.

"R-Rei...?" Her voice cracked. "Are you okay?"

Rei's eyes were closed, but she winced, shakily getting up.

"Y-Yume...find nee-nee...right now..."

"I won't leave you, Rei! Twins stick together and you know that!!"

"Stop being so stubborn..."

Yume shook her head, fighting back a sob.

"L-Live together...die together... Remember, Rei?"

Rei's eyes filled with tears as she smiled.

"I'm sorry, Yume."

Yume's eyes jolted wide.

"R-Rei... I swear... If you die... We came into this world together, and it'll be really unfair if you leave before I do..."

Rei's smile widened as she lied back down, her tears sparkling.

"Sorry, very sorry, Yume. Tell nee-nee that I'm sorry for pushing her so hard all the time... Tell her that I love her..."

"Rei, don't you dare..." Yume's volume was barely above a whisper. "You're not supposed to..."

No response.

"...Rei?" she wondered, lightly shaking her twin's shoulders. "Rei? This isn't funny... Get UP."

Still nothing.

"Rei, you can't do this to me... Just a few minutes ago, we'd promised we'd be together..."

Yume's eyes filled with tears, her hands shaking as she pulled Rei's limp form into her lap, playing with one of her ringlets.

"You wouldn't do this to me, would you, Rei?"

"Sorry..." she heard a light whisper in the wind, making her perk up, the wind blowing towards them.

"Re...i..."

Yume choked back, shivering.

"Rei... You can't do this... Rei...?"

Silence, Yume's eyes widened, and she smuggled back a sob, pulling Rei close, crying against her matted pink hair.

"Rei... Rei... R-Rei... Please, Rei..."

She sniffled and let out a scream.

"REIIIII!!!!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"YUME?! REI!!!"

Akari looked around as she screamed, horrified at the thought.

"YUME!!! REI!!! WHERE ARE YOU TWO...?!"

She stopped as she panted, trying to catch her breath.

"Y-Yume... Rei..."

_They're annoying, they're troublemakers, and they give me more grief than anything else in my life..._

"Please...where are you two?"

_But..._

Akari looked around, desperate to find the twins.

_But they're still my adorable little sisters..._

"Nee-nee!!" they chanted in her mind's eye, making her run faster. "Come on!!"

_Yume... Rei..._

She bit her lip, ignoring the aching pain in her legs.

_Yume, Rei... Please..._

"YUME!!! REI!!! WHERE ARE YOU TWO?!"

That was when she heard Yume's scream.

"NOOOOO!!!"

Akari snapped up, horrified.

_Y-Yume?!_

She quickly rushed ahead, pushing aside the branches and bushes.

"YUME?! REI!!! ANSWER ME!!! YUME!!! REI!!!"

Akari suddenly tripped, falling flat on her face as she shivered.

"N-No... Yume... Rei... Yume... R-Rei..."

She struggled getting up, blood tricking down her arm.

"I have to find them, before..."

"NEE-NEE!!! HELP!!"

Akari's eyes shot open as she quickly got to her feet, rushing ahead.

"YUME...!!!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yume whimpered against her lifeless sister, sobbing.

"R-Rei... NEE-NEE!!! COME HERE!!! PLEASE!!! W-We.... We need you!!"

Her fingers clenched against Rei's hair, and she hiccupped.

"Rei... Rei..."

"YUME!!! REI!!!"

Yume snapped up, turning to face her oldest sister standing there, breathing heavily, her hair tangled, blood dried on her skin, and various cuts and mud covering her clothes and body.

"Y-Yume..." Akari's voice cracked as she staggered forward, wrapping her arms around Yume. "Thank god... You're alright..."

Yume's own voice cracked.

"But Rei didn't..."

Akari perked up, and her eyes widened in horror at Rei's sight.

_No..._

She quickly checked her wrist, desperate.

_Rei... No..._

Akari soon let out a sigh of relief.

"Her heart's still beating...but she's slipped into a coma... We'll need to find Haya and our parents, her bones are all broken..."

Yume blinked as her sister took Rei gently into her arms, lying her down onto the floor.

"We can't move her, Yume... Her fractured ribs might cut into something vital..."

"I'll find our parents and Hayato."

"...Huh?"

Yume's eyes sparkled, grabbing her attention.

"Yu...me...?"

"It's my fault Rei's like this, nee-nee... It was supposed to be me... A tree fell, and Rei, she..."

She quickly shook her head, rushing out into the forest.

"YUME, WAIT!!!"

Akari looked down at Rei, and took a deep breath, holding her hands over Rei's chest as they began glowing with a golden light.

_I don't know what I'm doing, but... Rei..._

Rei's eyes soon fluttered open as she stared at Akari, blank.

"Nee-nee...? Where's Yume?"

Akari gasped, blushing heavily.

I-It worked...

"It's fine, Rei..." she whispered, ruffling Rei's pink hair. "We'll be fine."

"I-I can't move..."

"Don't push yourself, Rei."

"Nee-nee..."

Akari smiled, sighing a bit.

_I was still curious about that woman I met, and guessed she had something to do with my new powers... But little did I know it would all get worse before it got better..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_Things weren't getting any better for me, but at least they weren't getting any worse. Though, with my luck today, I probably shouldn't be saying that..._

"Say, sis?"

"What's up, Miyu?"

"Your parents said that you could control winter... so how did you unleash that blizzard in the middle of summer?" Miyu asked.

"Well, from what my parents told me, I can generate my powers wherever I want," Hinata explained, relaying what her parents had told her. "They also said that my powers seem to get stronger whenever I'm around actual snow."

"That's actually pretty cool. No pun intended," Miyu giggled.

Hinata's expression suddenly turned deadly serious. "Miyu... you know... our parents..."

"I know..." Miyu sadly responded. "They didn't stand a chance against that Ghadius weirdo..."

"Believe you me, Miyu, when I find Ghadius, he's going to wish he never met me," Hinata growled. "You don't want to know what I'm going to do to him..."

"Say, onee-chan? Are we in a forest?"

Hinata perked up at this, looking around and seeing that, indeed, they were in a forest filled with hundreds of oak trees.

"Yeah, we are. Crap, I SUCK at maneuvering in forests..." Hinata groaned. "We could be in trouble here..."

Just then, Hinata noticed someone standing by a tree, holding a younger girl in her arms.

Akari looked up at Hinata, taking caution.

"Hey, it's okay!!" Hinata stated, waving her arms and trying not to scare Akari away. "We're not going to hurt you..."

_And that's when I met Akari. First thing I noticed about her: she was cute. Second thing I noticed: for some reason, I could see a weird yellow aura around her. Did that mean she had powers like I did?_

"Who... who might you be?" Akari asked cautiously.

"Well, I'm Hinata, and this is my sister Miyu," Hinata explained, gesturing to herself and her sister.

"My... my name's Akari, and this is my sister Rei," Akari explained. "I actually have another sister, Yume, but she went to get my parents and my little brother Hayato..."

Hinata suddenly noticed something.

"Say, Akari-chan? Do you know that you have a weird yellow aura surrounding you?" Hinata asked.

"There's a blue aura around you... do you think it's connected?" Akari wondered.

All of a sudden, the entire surrounding area became completely black, though Hinata, Akari, and their sisters were still visible.

"What's going on, nee-nee?" Rei asked, a little fearful. "Why did everything get so dark?"

"I can barely see!!" Miyu exclaimed.

Suddenly, that's when Hinata figured it out.

Not wasting any time, Hinata shifted into battle stance, frost-blue energy wrapping around her hands.

"GHADIUS!!!" Hinata screamed. "I know you're there!! Show your face, you little coward!!!"

"Onee-chan!!"

"NEE-NEE!!!"

Just then, Hayato and Yume rushed up, still visible even amongst the complete darkness.

"Nee-nee, I'm scared!!!" Yume exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Akari.

"Where's mom and dad?" Akari asked.

Hayato didn't seem to want to answer that question.

A disgusted look flew over Hinata's expression as she realized what had happened.

"GHADIUS!!!!" Hinata screamed again, the energy around her hands pulsing. "This is the last time I'm going to tell you!! Get out here so I can knock you into submission!!!"

"**Such determination, little girl. I had a feeling we'd be meeting like this."**

Hinata just growled.

"**What's the matter, little Hinata? You don't seem happy. I thought our first meeting would be one of jubilance."**

"Of course I'm not happy," Hinata shot back. "And do you know why, Ghadius?"

"**To be honest, I don't."**

Hinata could tell that Ghadius was mocking her.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because you SLAUGHTERED ME AND AKARI-CHAN'S PARENTS, MAYBE IT COULD BE THAT?!!"

Rei nearly went into shock at that statement.

"**Oh, please. Those pitiful parental units did not stand a chance against my abilities."**

"You know what? I've only known you for an hour, but I've already had enough of you, Ghadius!!!" Hinata exclaimed, her aura pulsing rapidly. "Now stop hiding in the darkness and fight me face-to-face!!!"

"**You would not stand a chance against me. You would be writing your death warrant."**

"SHUT UP!!!" Hinata screamed, backflipping over to Akari, who had just stood up, Rei balancing on her shoulder.

"Hey, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked. "Don't you worry. I'll protect you."

Akari couldn't help but blush at that statement.

Hinata then turned back to the darkness, her aura shining brightly.

"Are you gonna show yourself, Ghadius, or am I gonna have to drag you out?" Hinata challenged.

Just then, a massive claw made of the very darkness surrounding them charged right at Hinata.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Akari had rushed up in front of Hinata, her own aura shining brightly.

Just as Hinata was about to make a query, Akari threw her arms out, and this created a massive fluctuation of light energy, similar to what Hinata had done not too long ago. The immense light almost instantly cleared away the darkness surrounding the forest, and Hinata could hear Ghadius screaming in agony, most likely due to his contact with the light.

Once all of the darkness was gone, Akari looked at her hands curiously.

"Nee-nee?" Yume asked. "How did you just...?"

"No clue..." Akari responded.

"So, it seems like you and I have similar powers," Hinata stated. "And we both have broken families thanks to that bastard Ghadius. We share a common cause. You wanna help me out with this, Akari-chan?"

Akari looked at Hinata for a few seconds before nodding.

"One thing, Hinata-chan. Would you... would you like to be my friend?" Akari asked.

Hinata almost instantly glomped Akari. "Of course!!!"

Akari blushed madly before settling into Hinata's hug.

"You guys ARE coming with us, right?" Hinata asked Akari's siblings.

"Of course!!!" Yume giggled.

"We'll follow nee-nee to the ends of the earth!!" Rei continued.

"You know I've got your back, onee-chan," Hayato responded.

"Let's go find this Ghadius character and kick his face in!!!" Miyu proclaimed heroically.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at that.

_And so, like that, we formed a team. Akari-chan and I came from similar backgrounds, including our powers, and the fact that our parents were both slaughtered by Ghadius. I think I'm really going to enjoy being friends with her._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_I don't know what it was about Hinata-chan... But something about her really surprised me..._

Akari blinked, cradling the still injured Rei in her arms, sighing.

_I never had seen someone so cheerful like her... Except the twins, maybe... But there was no trace of that suspicion that they had..._

She turned her glance to Yume, who was holding her free hand, her eyes still shamefully at her feet.

_...that's no longer present. I'm glad I saved Rei, but... But..._

Haruna's kind smile as she handed the daughter a handkerchief flashed in Akari's mind, followed by Kyon's gruff but loving smile.

My parents...

_"O-Okaa-chan?"_

_Haruna turned to the younger Akari as she climbed onto the table, her clumsy limbs still chubby with baby fat. Haruna played with her short, cherry locks as she giggled._

_"Akari-chan, is there something wrong?"_

_"I-I just wonder..." the toddler asked, her rosy cheeks puffed. "Why are you and otou-chan always upset?"_

_This confused her mother._

_"Upset? Why would we be, Akari-chan? We have a cute daughter like you around... You really are something special..."_

_Akari smiled proudly at the comment but frowned, gloomy all over again._

_"But otou-chan was saying something about Miss Carriage...who's Miss Carriage? Was she a friend of otou-chan?_

_Haruna's eyes jolted wide, and she turned rueful._

_"T-That's right...the miscarriage... My poor little Rina..."_

_"Who's Rina?" Akari asked, confused until her mother started sobbing, shocking her. "O-Okaa-chan?! What happened to you, okaa-chan?!"_

_Haruna covered her face, still whimpering._

_"I-It's just... My first little girl...and she was taken away just like that, Akari-chan... What can I do?"_

_"O-Okaa-chan..."_

_"That's quite enough," she heard Kyon state behind her, scooping her up with his firm hands, holding her close to his chest. "Akari, your okaa-san's going to need a bit of alone time... Alright, sweetheart?"_

_Akari looked up and nodded as Kyon placed her outside the door, patting her head before going back to his wife, comfortingly patting her shoulder._

_"Haruna... Should we tell her? That Akari is not really our child?"_

_Akari's eyes widened, her young mind not quite comprehending. 'What...?'_

_"W-We can't, Kyon... She's too young..."_

_"Maybe when she's older?"_

_"...Maybe... But after losing Rina, and Akari-chan... She's just...so...so cute..."_

_Kyon smiled in agreement._

_"I agree, it's like she's an angel, Haru... I wouldn't want to hurt her in a million years..."_

_Haruna stifled a giggle._

_"Yeah... She's one special kid."_

_Akari blinked, blushed at the praise, and just scampered to her room, wondering what the heck they meant by all that._

_But now..._ she swallowed, shaking a bit. _Now I know... I understood as soon as Yume and Rei were born, Hayato, too... They resembled mom and dad...I...didn't..._

"...Nee-nee...? What's wrong?"

Akari snapped up, confused.

"W-Wha...?"

She wasn't aware of the incessant tears rushing down her cheeks until Hinata snatched Rei out of her arms, gripping the red head's shoulder.

"Akari-chan... What happened? Are you sad about your parents?"

"Nee-nee..." Yume whispered, clinging tighter to Akari's hand before yelling at Hinata. "And YOU! Release Rei right now and give her back to nee-nee!!"

Hinata perked up in surprise at that.

"Don't yell at my sister!!" Miyu exclaimed, furious.

"Don't tell me what to do!! Only, okaa-san, otou-san, and sometimes nee-nee can do that!!"

"Why you little..."

"I'm not that much younger than you so go away!!"

"You ACT that much younger than me!!"

"You two, quit it out!!" Hayato exclaimed, rushing in between the two quarreling girls. "This is NOT the time for fighting!!"

Akari wiped away her tears, sniffling.

"H-Haya's right... Yume, please cut it out..."

"You too, Miyu," Hinata growled, Miyu huffing a gruff 'fine'.

Yume puffed her cheeks.

"Let GO of my REI!!"

"Yume..." Rei began, touched beyond words. Hinata sighed and handed her back to Akari, making the red head make an 'oh' sound.

"S-Sorry... So sorry about that, Hinata-chan."

Hinata blushed as Akari looked at her with sparkling eyes, looking like the cutest thing on the planet.

"N-No problem..."

"Eh, onee-chan?" Miyu wondered, surprised.

Akari smiled as she nuzzled against Rei's cheek, earning a squeal of surprise.

"N-Nee-nee... N-Not in front of Yume..!!"

Yume blinked, shocked.

"R-Rei..."

"Sorry, Rei."

Akari blushed lightly as she smiled towards Yume, laughing.

"I really am sad, though..."

"Nee-chan..." Hayato began, surprised. "It's okay... Really..."

"Thanks, Haya."

Hayato blushed at that. "P-Please call me Hayato."

"Haya!! Haya!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed, perfectly in synch despite Rei's condition.

Hinata smiled at the sight.

_I see... So Akari-chan has much more to deal with than I do... Two little twins and the typical peacemaker..._

She giggled.

_How cute!! Almost adds to Akari-chan's cuteness and..._

Hinata suddenly blushed, feeling her cheeks.

_W-Wait a minute... Why is my face heating up like this?! I can't have a crush on her already!!_

"Hinata...?" Miyu wondered, raising an eyebrow. "You don't..."

"D-Don't say such nonsense, little sis!!"

"I wasn't going to say anything..."

"LIAR!!!"

"Hey, I resent that!!"

Hinata was cut off when Akari started giggling, surprising them a bit.

Hinata felt her face heating up all over again as she groaned, sweatdropping.

_Stupid cuteness..._

"Hinata-chan, shouldn't we get going?"

"R-Right..."

"Rei, are you feeling much better?" Akari asked, Rei smiling and patting her cheek.

"My legs still hurt though, nee-nee..."

"Rei..." Yume began, her eyes sparkling in worry.

Hayato gulped, worried as well.

Rei's smile widened.

"Yume, Hayato, cheer up! With nee-nee here, I'll be fine!!"

The two reluctantly nodded.

"Right..."

Akari's smile suddenly faltered.

_I wonder...if that woman has to do with any of this... But I can't tell Hinata-chan about that just yet..._

"...Hinata-chan?"

"O-Oh?" Hinata quickly faced her, her face flushed as she tried to keep from stammering. "W-What is it, Akari-chan?"

"Tell me, who exactly..."

She turned on her, her eyes filled with an emotion Hinata couldn't quite name.

"Who exactly is Ghadius?"

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_I'd almost forgotten about that. To be quite honest, all I know about Ghadius is what mom and dad told me... and the fact that he's the one who slaughtered our parents._

"To be honest, Akari-chan... I don't know much about Ghadius... but I may as well tell you at least what mom and dad told me..." Hinata responded, letting her arms rest around Akari's neck, making the cherry-haired girl blush like crazy.

"Mom and dad told me... that Ghadius was a bad guy from a long time ago..." Hinata relayed. "When mom and dad found me, the note that was on my chest said that whoever had sealed my powers away was worried that Ghadius would find me. So that's when mom and dad took me in. When my powers revealed themselves, mom and dad told me to get away, because they were sure that Ghadius knew that I had awakened and would be gunning for me. Apparently, whatever had attacked us back there must have been Ghadius. He'll be back, though. I know freaks like him."

Akari nodded, still looking a little sad.

"Akari-chaaaaa~n," Hinata stated, softly rubbing Akari's shoulders. "I may have only known you for about a half-hour, but I already really like you. I understand about what you've been going through. You and I come from similar backgrounds, and now we BOTH have a reason to find this Ghadius jerk and smack him into uber-submission."

Akari giggled at that last line.

"What do you say, Akari-chan?"

Akari looked at Hinata for a few seconds.

"Okay. For our parents."

Hinata couldn't resist pecking Akari on the cheek at that.

"We may need some training before we go find Ghadius, though. If we was able to do what he did to our parents that easily, kami only knows what else he can do," Hinata noted, choosing her words carefully around the younger sisters. "You up for a little training session, Akari-chan?"

Akari smiled. "Sure."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Master Malefor."

"I am listening, Gaul."

"I believe I have found a mysterious new energy source that is somewhat peculiar."

"The two girls. The ones that Ghadius is after."

"The very same. What should I do about this?"

"Observe the situation for now, Gaul. The two girls are of no use to us until their powers are fully awakened. We will capture them when the time is right. And if Ghadius gets in your way, you have my authority to eliminate him."

"I will see it done, Master Malefor."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Such foolishness, Gaul."

"Why does he even bother, Master Ghadius? Those two girls will be ours eventually, no matter what stupid stunts he tries."

"This should actually be pretty fun. Keep an eye on the brats. We need their power if we're going to capture Lephise."

"Understood."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A blast of light collided with a miniature snowstorm, the two elements exploding in a flash of light.

Yume and Rei had stars in their eyes, Hayato was visually impressed, and Miyu was cheering both of them on as they all watched Hinata and Akari hone their elemental abilities.

Hinata quickly did a roll over to Akari's position and unleashed the massive wave of snowflakes she'd used when her powers had awakened (which Hinata had dubbed the "Blizzard's Claw Devastator").

Akari didn't waste any time in unleashing the same massive light flash that had temporarily driven Ghadius away before (which Hinata had dubbed the "Sun's Crusher Devastator").

The two massive elements crashed into each other, creating a powerful explosion that knocked everyone but Hinata and Akari onto their backs.

Hinata then raised her hand once the blast wave had cleared. "I think that's enough for now... I feel like I'm gonna collapse... though that's probably because I used my Devastator too often..."

Akari perked up, a little confused. "Um... what's a Devastator?"

"That big super-attack I used where I let loose all those snowflakes," Hinata explained.

"Oh, that," Akari giggled.

"Well, I believe that we now officially stand a fighting chance against Ghadius!!!" Hinata heroically proclaimed.

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to underestimate this Ghadius thing," Hayato noted. "If he knows about your powers, he's probably going to make himself stronger for when you find him. I'd be careful if I were you."

Just then, from seemingly out of nowhere, a gigantic and rather ugly-looking ape creature carrying two long swords rushed in and took a massive swipe at Hinata and Akari, who just barely dodged in time.

"What the hell?!" Hinata exclaimed. "These freaks are crawling out of the woodwork!!!"

"Nice to meet you, too," the ape taunted. "So you are the elemental girls that the Master has told me so much about. I am Gaul, the Ape King, and I figured that it was time I scope out the new arrivals, and I must say, even though your powers have just awakened, you have matured them quite well. You two will definitely be a wonderful prize for the Master."

"Wait, Master?" Hinata wondered. "Do you work for Ghadius?!"

Gaul shook his head. "You actually think I work for that bastard Ghadius? No. I work for a much higher power."

Gaul shifted into fighting stance, brandishing both of his ridiculously long swords. "Let us see what you have learned, elementals."

Hinata smiled at this and shifted into fighting stance, snow energy wrapping around her hands. "All right, time to put our powers to the test. You ready, Akari-chan?"

"As I'll ever be," Akari replied, clenching her fists as light surrounded them. She shifted into stance alongside Hinata.

"I think now would be a good time to move," Hayato stated, taking his sisters and Miyu out to a safe distance as Hinata and Akari prepared to do battle with Gaul.

_And then comes this guy. A freaking APE comes flying out of nowhere and demands our powers!! Now, I don't care WHO he's working for, but this little bastard needs to learn some respect!! You can't just go up to a lady and demand something just like THAT!! Anyways, as we prepared to kick this Gaul guy's face into the dirt, I started thinking..._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_I don't know who he is... but something about him... scares me._

Akari gulped as she brushed back a bit of her cherry-colored hair, sighing.

_I'm a little nervous... a little afraid..._

She perked up as she felt Hinata's fingers twirl around her own, facing the girl in question.

_But..._

Hinata just smiled, making her blush.

_But for some reason... I feel safe with Hinata-chan... Why is that?_

"Nee-nee..." Yume and Rei murmured at the same time before tightening their fists, gulping. "Y-You can do it!!"

Hayato's eyes glimmered as he took a deep breath, gulping as well.

"Nee-chan..."

_Of course, I'm pretty worried myself for Akari-nee-chan... But what about Hinata-san?_

"Come on, Hinata," Miyu murmured, anxious. "You can do it..."

Hayato perked up at that, lightly gasping.

_Wait... Nee-chan..._

Rei soon perked up as well, and clung tighter to her older twin, making Yume snap up.

"R-Rei...?"

"Yume, there's something wrong..." she murmured, her voice shaking. "Something really wrong..."

"Rei?" Yume blinked, confused. "What's wrong?"

"I-It's a little hard to explain, but nee-nee..."

Yume's eyes jolted wide as she quickly turned her attention to her older sister, gulping.

"Nee-nee..."

"Hinata-chan, we really need to be careful..." Akari murmured, her hand tightening around Hinata's. "There's something off about this ape..."

Hinata made a "huh" sound.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Gaul simply smirked, holding up one of his long swords.

"Elementals are always so stubborn... Even the regular ones and special ones are no different..."

_But what are elementals anyway? How confusing..._

Akari shook her hand, gently slipping her hand out of Hinata's.

_Yet there's always that mysterious woman..._

_"You truly are one with the sun, the moon, and the stars, aren't you?"_

_All of those are associated with light...something I love..._

She held out her hands, which began glowing a light blue energy.

"I can't let you anywhere near me or Hinata-chan... Please go away now."

Yume and Rei's eyes widened as their hands tightened around each other.

"N-Nee-nee..."

Hayato gulped, his firsts tightening.

_There was a time... Nee-chan was like this..._

The moment flashed through his mind, several images before his oldest sister's crying face.

_"You can't..."_

_"...ever wondered why I let you have your way?"_

_"Don't say such things..."_

_"...sorry...so sorry..."_

_Nee-chan..._

"Please..." he whispered carefully. "Please be careful, nee-chan..."

"Akari-chan..." Hinata began before Akari shook her head.

_I can't let him near us... Something tells me..._

Her ruby-red eyes went blank for a few moments.

_That soon, someone very special to me...will be taken away because of him..._

She gulped, the energy getting fiercer.

_I can't allow that!!_

Gaul laughed, preparing his swords.

"Quite cocky, aren't you?"

"Wrong thing to say," she muttered darkly, throwing her hands up.

_"Araidasu!!"_

Gaul snapped up at that, the blue energy shooting out and surrounding him, making him take cover at the blinding light, growling.

"Y-You...!!"

"Hinata-chan, now!!"

Hinata perked up, surprised.

"O-Oh right!!"

Akari nodded as Hinata rushed forward, throwing her hands forward to unleash a blizzard on Gaul, throwing her hands forward.

"Take that!!"

"Hinata!!" Miyu exclaimed, surprised.

"Nee-nee's so cool!!" Yume exclaimed, earning Rei to nod.

"Who knew she was THAT strong?!"

Hayato grimaced.

_I knew..._

"Nee...chan..."

Gaul roared in pain, quickly jumping back.

"Brats..."

"What's the matter? Too cold for ya?" Hinata taunted, hands on hips. "We're NOT going quietly, monkey boy!!"

Miyu sweatdropped at that.

"Good grief, sis..."

Akari slowly dropped her hands, sighing.

_Something's up..._

Gaul grimaced.

_Too bad my kind's weak against the cold... and with that light elemental's power..._

"YOU CAN DO IT, NEE-NEE!!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed at the same time, already pumped up.

Hayato's lips twitched, tense.

_Nee-chan..._

"Consider yourselves lucky," the ape growled, disappearing with the wave of dark energy.

"Coward!!" Yume exclaimed, pouting. "Nee-nee was just getting warmed up, right?!"

Rei nodded. "Definitely!!"

Hayato sighed at that.

"Actually..."

"Alright, Akari-chan!! We scared him off and..." Hinata turned to Akari, beaming. "Isn't it great?"

Akari's lips parted, her hair hiding her eyes.

_What's so great? Everyone's in danger now..._

"Akari-chan?" Hinata blinked, confused. "Did something happen?"

Akari slowly looked up, her eyes blank before returning to their usual glimmer.

"I-It's nothing..."

_I'm scared... I'm scared of what could happen... But telling Hinata-chan that..._

Her fists clenched.

_I just can't do it..._

"Akari-chan...?"

Akari quickly perked up with a gasp, and smiled.

"No... It's nothing, Hinata-chan."

_Help me... Lephise..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_So, that's when I realized how potentially dangerous our powers were, being that we have two psychos already on our tail: Ghadius, that weird shadow freak, and now Gaul, this monkey weirdo who's adverse to the cold, if that's how you say it. But I did know one thing: no way in HELL was I going to let either of them get their greasy hands on Akari-chan._

"So... what's our next plan?" Hayato wondered. "Seeing as how we've got at least two psychos on your trail now..."

"I'll kick their butts if it comes to that," Hinata proclaimed. "No way in hell am I letting Gaul OR Ghadius come near ANY of us."

Hinata then turned to Akari. "Especially you, Akari-chan. If they try to do anything to you, I'll personally put them through hell."

Akari couldn't help but blush at that. "Thanks, Hinata-chan."

"My pleasure!!" Hinata giggled, blushing herself.

_That settles it,_ Hinata thought. _I think I'm in love with Akari-chan. And I don't care who says it's wrong._

Hayato laughed to himself at the cute sight, before looking up into the sky.

_Well, it seems like fate is about to unravel, huh?_ Hayato thought. _Lephise, if you're going to do something about this, I think you'd better do it now._

Almost as if responding to Hayato's thoughts, the entire area began shaking violently.

"What the heck?!" Yume exclaimed. "Nee-nee, what's going on?"

Before anyone could answer that question, the ground not too far away began to break apart until it created a giant hole in the ground, and from the hole emerged a massive, glowing temple-like structure that slowly but surely floated into the sky.

_Wow. Never thought you'd actually hear that, Lephise,_ Hayato thought, smiling a bit.

"What the heck?" Rei exclaimed. "What in the world is that?!"

Hayato looked a little listless. "Cress..." he softly stated.

"What's a Cress?" Hinata wondered.

"Cress, the Kingdom of the Moon," Hayato responded. "It's resurfaced again..."

"Wait, wait, WAIT!!!" Hinata exclaimed, still a little confused. "How exactly do you know about this Cress place, Hayato-kun?"

Before Hayato could answer, the chunk of the ground that Hinata, Akari, and their siblings were standing on wrenched itself from the ground and began floating into the sky as if pursuing the rising Cress.

"NOW what?!" Miyu exclaimed.

"**I see you have defeated Gaul rather easily. Let us see if you are worthy of stepping foot on the sacred kingdom of Cress."**

"Ghadius..." Hinata growled, Akari taking her hands in a vain attempt to calm the snow elemental down. "Come out of hiding and show yourself, you little bastard!!! I've still gotta kick you into submission for what you've done!!!"

"**Not just yet."**

All of a sudden, a massive concentration of darkness appeared in front of the group, forming into what appeared to be a massive eyeball with two large wings and a halo above its head.

"**Zero Two will test you little brats."**

"I'd really appreciate it if you didn't call us that," Akari shot back, forming a spear of light in her hands and thrusting it straight at Zero Two, the energy embedding itself in the monstrosity's eye and causing it to let out a roar of agony.

"Of COURSE!!! That thing's eye is its weak spot!!" Hinata realized, her hands surrounded by frost-blue energy. Not wasting a second, she leaped into the air, suddenly surprised that her leap had taken her all the way up to Zero Two's eye.

"WHOA, that was high!! Probably because of the weird gravity..." Hinata noted. Shaking off that feeling for now, Hinata aimed right for Zero Two's eye.

_"Blizzard Slasher!!!"_ Hinata exclaimed, a claw of ice forming on her right hand that she used to slash into Zero Two's eye, creating claw marks where it had been struck. Hinata quickly did a wall kick off of Zero Two to return to the platform, Akari easily catching her.

"Thanks for the save, Akari-chan," Hinata giggled, pecking Akari on the cheek.

Akari instantly blushed at that. "No problem, Hinata-chan." _Am I falling in love with her?_

Shaking off the issue for now, Akari shifted her focus back to Zero Two. The monster roared, flapping its wings and unleashing a shower of energy needles that Hinata and Akari swiftly dodged one by one.

However, when Akari turned around to check on her siblings, Zero Two took that moment to launch a powerful sphere of darkness from its eye that struck Yume dead on, knocking her right to the ground.

Akari nearly went into shock at this. Her shoulders shivering with a rage she didn't know she possessed, she slowly turned back to Zero Two.

"You... just made... a BIG mistake," Akari growled, a massive flash of light surrounding her. "Anyone who messes with my family... has to go through ME!!!!"

Hinata was certainly surprised to see a pair of impossibly bright angel wings emerge from Akari's back, and to see that her normal earring studs had been replaced by earrings that resembled a crescent moon with a star in the middle.

_Wow... so beautiful..._ Hinata thought, her blush intensifying with every second she gaped at Akari's new form.

Akari just smiled, yellow energy wrapping around her hands. "You picked the wrong girl to mess with, buddy."

Not wasting any time, Akari flew up towards Zero Two, lashing out with a series of light-enhanced punches before the monster could even react, causing serious damage.

Finishing it all up, Akari held her hands out, readying the same attack she'd used against Gaul not too long ago.

_"ARAIDASU!!!!"_

This time, the attack was MUCH stronger, absorbing itself into Zero Two and quite literally ripping it apart from the inside.

Akari floated back to the platform once Zero Two was no more.

"Take that," Akari giggled.

Walking up to the fallen Yume, Akari placed her hand onto her younger sister's chest, letting the light wash through Yume's body and healing the wound she had taken.

"There you go, sis," Akari stated, reverting back to normal, only to be instantly glomped by Hinata.

"THAT WAS AWESOME, AKARI-CHAN!!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "You were so cool up there!!!"

Akari instantly started blushing at that. "T-thanks, Hinata-chan..."

Before long, the platform everyone was on stopped on a walkway on the outside of Cress.

"Elevator stop!!" Miyu stated teasingly.

"Okay, everyone, STAYING CLOSE is the objective here," Hinata noted. "I have no idea what's going to happen here, so we'd best stay together and on our guard. Got it?"

"Right," Akari responded.

"CHECK!!!" Rei and Yume exclaimed at the same time.

"Of course," Hayato stated.

"You know I'm in," Miyu giggled.

_And so, just like that, we all started our journey through Cress, the Kingdom of the Moon. One question continued to stick out in my mind as we began this journey... what, exactly, did Hayato-kun know about Cress that we didn't?_

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_Hayato was always a rather strange person, even as a child... but while he was the youngest of my siblings, he was always the most sensible._

Akari blinked, casting a glance towards her little brother, who seemed to be staring off into the distance.

_It amazed me, the fact that he acts so grown-up... what kind of big sister wouldn't be proud?_

She frowned, a sigh escaping her lips.

_Still... I didn't think that he would ever keep anything from me... I would have expected this from Yume or Rei... but Haya? I just couldn't imagine..._

"Say, Hayato-kun," Hinata began, looking up. "You never answered my questions about the Cress..."

Hayato made a "huh" sound, his eyelids lowering.

"I suppose I didn't..."

"So spill."

Akari's eyes jolted wide as she shivered, blushing shamefully.

_Why am I so anxious about this? Hayato..._

"Do you two know about the Crest too?" Miyu asked Akari's two younger twin sisters, earning a chorus yelp.

"Did you know anything, Rei?"

"I don't think I did, Yume."

"But oh, oh, should we be honest? Or not?"

"I don't really know..."

"You don't, Rei?"

"I-I don't think so..."

"So is that a yes or a no?" Miyu wondered, sweatdropping.

_These two really are handfuls... How does Akari-chan put up with them?_

"We can't ask nee-nee for permission," Rei continued, still chatting to her slightly older twin. "So then what, Yume?"

"What's safer for nee-nee?" Yume wondered, shrugging. "Maybe we just let them figure it out... I love nee-nee, and this should help her in the long run, right Rei?"

"R-Right, Yume..."

Rei soon frowned, sighing.

_But what about the short run? If I see nee-nee cry again, I won't be able to take it..._

Yume noticed the hesitance on her twin's face and quietly pulled her close, tucking her younger twin's head underneath her chin.

"You're not the only one worried, Rei."

"Y-Yume..."

The older twin sighed, tightening her grip on Rei.

"I still remember... that near-death moment you had... I was never more appreciative of nee-nee than I was then... That's why I want her to smile, Rei. She's special to me... not as much as you... but very, very special to me."

Rei blinked, blushing lightly before she settled into her embrace, sighing.

"I'm grateful for nee-nee as much as you are... That's why I'm still worried about this."

"I guess it's up to Hayato, huh?" Yume asked teasingly, sighing. Her sister weakly giggled in response.

"I guess..."

Miyu frowned at the sight, and sighed.

_Looks like they're tight-lipped about it, too..._

Hayato sighed, folding his arms.

"Let's put it this way, Hinata-chan."

Hinata flinched at that, making Akari perk up.

_Haya...to?_

Her little brother shook his head, his grip on his arms tightening.

"If this were for the better good of nee-chan's sake... I'd happily comply... but..."

"What's this about Akari-chan's sake? Telling her would help her understand her powers more, wouldn't it?!" Hinata snapped, making Akari's eyes slowly widen.

Hayato ruefully smiled at that.

"You'd be surprised at how messed up the world can be, Hinata-chan."

Hinata looked annoyed at that, seething.

"I-I know how messed up it is..."

"Do you?"

"Yes... Of course I do."

"I'm not so sure."

Hinata blinked, taking Akari's hand, making her flinch.

"H-Hinata-chan..."

"Akari-chan, do you really agree with him?" she asked, her eyes still on Hayato.

Hayato smiled sadly towards his sister, making her perk up.

"Haya..."

She soon shook her head, sighing.

"Hinata-chan, I'll trust Hayato to tell me later, you don't have to worry about it."

Hinata looked surprised at that but nodded, releasing her hand.

"Fine, I'll trust you too, Akari-chan."

Akari blushed at that and smiled, nodding.

"Thank you."

Hinata blushed herself.

"N-No problem..."

_S-She really is a cutie, isn't she?_

"NEE-NEE, WE'RE SORRY!!!" The twins exclaimed in chorus, tackling Akari in a tight hug. "BUT TELLING YOU NOW WOULD BE REALLY BAD!!!"

"It's okay, you two..." Akari laughed, patting down their hair with a sigh. "Why wouldn't it be...?"

They sniffled, sighing.

"S-Sorry..."

"It's just that..." Yume began while Rei finished her sentence.

"We were really worried about you, nee-nee."

Akari's smile widened as she closed her eyes.

"You two..."

_I still couldn't believe that I was the only one in the dark about something my siblings knew about... it was almost painful._

A sigh escaped her lips as Yume and Rei took her hands and they all continued forward, Hinata still staring worriedly towards the cherry-haired girl.

_I've felt this isolated before... Yume and Rei were almost always together... and even my beloved little brother spent more time with our parents than me... I'm always lonely..._

Akari casted a glance towards Hinata without turning her head.

_It's strange... this deep connection to Hinata-chan that I feel... It couldn't possibly be love, right? I promised myself I wouldn't be falling for anyone in this lifetime..._

She sighed heavily again, tightening her arms.

_And then there's that mysterious woman... Lephise, right? Wait... how do I know her name anyway?!_

Akari shut her eyes tightly, shivering.

_Urgh! This is so confusing!!_

"Akari-chan?" Hinata wondered, touching Akari's shoulder.

Akari's eyes jolted wide at the touch, everything going blank for a few moments.

_What is this feeling? It's too deep and meaningful to be a mere crush..._

"Akari-chan?" Hinata repeated her name, confused. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No not at all!!" Akari snapped, breaking free of Hinata's grasp, her blush deepened. "I-I'm sorry, but we need to get going!!"

She turned heel and sped off, shocking Hinata.

"Wait, Akari-chan!! We're supposed to stick together!!!"

"NEE-NEE!!!" Yume and Rei yelled at the same time, surprised. "COME BACK!!"

"Nee-chan..." Hayato murmured in worry before they all began running again, trying to keep up with the fleeting light elemental.

Akari noticed, and shook her head.

_Just act normal... that feeling was something to do with these powers... not your heart..._

She soon stopped, confusing them.

"A...Akari-chan?"

Akari faced them all, smiling sadly.

"Sorry about that, let's continue."

_I've never been so scared before..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_As we continued our journey through Cress, things began to get weirder and weirder. I knew I was falling in love with Akari-chan for some reason, and I don't think it was just because of our powers so closely linked. Also, we eventually found out that Ghadius, for a psychotic supervillain, is actually much smarter than he lets on..._

"Wow, this place is so COOL!!!!" Yume exclaimed, giggling happily.

"I think we need to focus on the more important things here," Hayato reminded his older sister.

_Like finding Lephise before Ghadius can get his filthy hands on her..._

"You're probably right," Rei responded before clinging right to Akari's arm. "I don't want to lose nee-nee to that freak Ghadius!!"

"**Did someone call my name?"**

Everyone tensed up at that particular proclamation. Hinata instantly hugged Akari close to her, ready to defend her.

"There's the weird voice again!!" Rei wondered.

"Show yourself, Ghadius!!!" Hinata challenged. "Don't make me and Akari-chan drag you out of the darkness ourselves!!!"

"**Such impatience. You really need to learn how to control yourself, young elementals."**

"Don't you talk down to me, you little son of a bitch!! Now show me your face so I can kick it into the floor!!!" Hinata shot back.

"**Not just yet. You may have gained admittance to Cress by defeating Zero Two, but I am an entirely different story."**

All of a sudden, a massive rock monster with four arms, carrying eight total swords, and menacing red eyes, emerged from the nearby ground and stared threateningly at Hinata and Akari.

"What the heck is THAT?!" Miyu exclaimed.

"**Have fun with Gorre, the Machinator."**

And with that, Ghadius' voice faded away.

Hayato looked VERY concerned at the sight of Gorre.

"Would you like to explain, Hayato-kun?" Hinata asked, hoping to make it quick since it looked like this new monstrosity was going to strike at any minute.

"This is Gorre, the Machinator," Hayato explained. "One of Ghadius' seven Phases. The Phases are basically extensions of his own power that essentially act as Ghadius' guardians. I've got a feeling that if we want to go after Ghadius, we're gonna need to defeat all of the Phases."

"All right, so if we're going to pound Ghadius into submission, we've gotta defeat all seven of his lackeys, right?" Hinata concluded.

Hayato just nodded.

"All right, then, Gor, or whatever your name is," Hinata challenged, Akari shifting into fighting stance right alongside her.

"Bring it."

Gorre smirked at this, bringing down one of its many swords. Akari wasted no time in creating a light shield that protected Hinata from the attack.

"Thanks, Akari-chan," Hinata giggled, swiftly pecking Akari on the cheek before turning back to face Gorre. "My turn."

Not wasting a second, Hinata thrust her hands forward and unleashed a blizzard that slashed mercilessly at Gorre, causing some good damage.

However, in a move that Hinata definitely didn't expect, Gorre slashed downwards with all eight of its swords. Hinata just barely avoided the attack, the sharp swords tearing a hole in her clothes, but not doing any damage to her.

"You jerk!!! That was one of my best skirts!!" Hinata raged, preparing for another blizzard attack.

It was by this point that Yume noticed something.

"Say, Hinata-chan?" Yume asked. "This guy's a giganto rock... but there's something weirdly about his face..."

Looking up, Hinata noticed that, just like Yume had said, most of Gorre's body was covered in rock, but there was some spots on its face that weren't protected by the thick rocks.

Hinata suddenly formed a devious grin. "That'll work."

Her hands glowing a bright blue, Hinata quickly turned towards Akari. "Akari-chan, I could use a boost!!"

Akari nodded, extending her hands as Hinata began to run towards her. The blonde girl leapt, her feet landing in Akari's outstretched hands just before the ruby-haired girl ferried her friend into the air.

Hinata landed on Gorre's shoulder after a few seconds, the rock monster turning towards her.

"Okay, now that I have your attention..." Hinata giggled, blue energy surrounding her. _"Blizzard's Claw Devastator!!!"_

Hinata threw her arms out, and this created a massive wave of snowflakes that impaled Gorre's face and knocked it flat on its back.

"Akari-chan!!!" Hinata exclaimed once she'd hopped back to the ground. "Freak show's all yours!!"

Akari nodded, focusing her powers into her hands.

"Take this!!" Akari exclaimed. _"Shining Sun!!!"_

With that, the energy Akari had gathered released itself in the form of about a thousand yellow energy needles that ripped through Gorre until there was nothing left.

"CHECKMATE!!!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed together.

"Um..." Hinata sweatdropped.

"They always used to say that when they beat Akari-nee-chan at a board game," Hayato laughed.

"All right," Hinata proclaimed. "One phase down, six to go. Let's keep moving!!"

_That was actually quite a fun battle. But I quickly realized as we continued through Cress that the rest of the Phases weren't going to be such pushovers. Not to mention that we had to worry about that monkey boy Gaul, who was tracking our every move... Honestly, can't a girl get a break?_

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"I wonder if he'll show up again anytime soon..."

"Shh, Rei!! You're jinxing us!!"

"...Yume? I wasn't talking about that him."

"Oh... not that him? Sorry~!"

"Oh Yume..."

"Could those two be any more obvious?" Hayato grimaced, rolling his eyes. "I swear... I almost can't believe they're older..."

_Good grief..._

"Those two sure do love confusing everyone with their one-sided or two-sided chatter," Miyu groaned, shrugging.

_It's like no one else exists..._

"The twins are like that," Akari stated with a sigh. "They love to act like they're all that each other needs."

_It's actually quite amusing... seeing my two sisters like that..._

"But they seem to love you, don't they, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked with a laugh, making the light elemental blush.

_A-Ah..._

"T-They're still my little sisters... what can I do?"

"WE LOVE NEE-NEE!!!" Yume and Rei cheered at the same time, increasing Hayato's sweatdrop.

_And I love her, too... but you don't necessarily see me screaming it out for the entire world to hear, now do you?_

"I swear, you two..."

Hinata simply giggled.

_Akari-chan really is something special... I almost don't even blame myself for falling in love with her!! She's just too darn cute!!! Ha-ha..._

"Say... Akari-chan?"

"Hm? What is it, Hinata-chan?" Akari blinked, confused.

_I'm still a little doubtful of my feelings towards Hinata-chan... I don't want to fall in love... not like this... and especially not with a girl like me!!_

"Um... Well..." Hinata shrugged, smiling. "Do you think we'll catch up anytime soon? To his next phase?"

"Ah yes," she exhaled, sighing. "The next phase..."

_He said that there were seven phases... and even little Haya knows something...but I'm just confused, now!!_

Akari darted her glance to her littlest brother without turning, and this went by unnoticed.

_I..._

She bit her lip, her eyes glimmering.

_I'm just so confused..._

"Akari-chan?"

Akari quickly perked up.

O-Oh!! That's right!!

"Hinata-chan? What was it?"

"Um..."

The snow elemental frowned at that, making a face.

_Huh..._

"You never did answer my question..."

_Akari-chan never sure has been acting weird..._

"S-Sorry about that," she apologized, waving her hands. "But I'm really not sure about that, Hinata-chan!!"

_If I knew, if I knew anything..._

Her teeth bit down harder on her bottom lip, almost drawing blood.

_But I still wonder... about that woman I met... before Rei got hurt._

She shuddered at the memory, startling Hinata.

"A-Akari-chan?!"

"I-It's nothing..."

"Um, I'm not so sure about that," Hinata stated matter-of-factly, taking Akari's shoulders.

"Now tell me the truth, Akari-chan."

"It's really nothing!!" Akari snapped, shutting her eyes as a blush splashed across her face. "Forget I said anything!!"

She soon faltered, shivering, looking so very fragile.

"Q-Quit bothering me, Hinata-chan..."

Hinata's look softened at the sight as she reached to caress Akari's cheek, making her flinch from her slightly cold touch.

No...

"Hinata-chan..." she pleaded, her light pink lips pursed, making Hinata blush at the sight. "S-Stop..."

Why am I getting so bothered by this? It's scary... so very freaky... I don't like it at all!!

"Akari-chan..."

Hinata's blush deepened.

_Even now... she really is cute..._

"Hey, Akari-chan..."

_I don't like seeing this either way._

"Come on, talk to me..."

Akari just shook her head, her eyes glimmering.

"Please let go of me, Hinata-chan. I really don't like that."

Hinata frowned, grimacing, and obeyed. "Seriously, Akari-chan. I thought we were friends..."

"I don't exactly trust you enough to call you my friend, Hinata-chan. I'm dreadfully sorry."

_...Say what?_

"You don't trust me?" the snow elemental repeated in disbelief, her eyes wide. "You really don't?"

Akari responded with a shake of her head, making Hinata's eyes widen even more in shock.

**Throb.**

"A-Akari-chan..."

Hinata looked down, hurt.

"I-I trusted you, Akari-chan..."

Akari frowned at that.

"Hinata-chan... I'm..."

_I'm not sorry about that._

"I'm touched, really..."

_I can't trust anyone._

"But, be reasonable..."

_I hate getting hurt, and I'm sick of getting myself betrayed by people who I thought were my friend... don't act like that kind of pain is easy by any means..._

"We do have to defeat Ghadius for our parents' sakes..."

_The parents who only raised me for my power. I'm a tool. To them, and everyone else who claimed they 'loved' me._

"We can't focus on each other, now can we?"

_Why pretend to have forgotten it? Leave me alone._

"You're right," Hinata sighed, making Akari's lips twitch. "Sorry about that, Akari-chan..."

Are you? Hinata-chan?

_Akari just smiled._

"Come on, I trust you a little. You're my partner."

_A little lie._

"But not your friend?" Hinata wondered, her voice dry.

"Nope."

"I-I see..."

_Rejected._

"Nee-nee..." Yume began as the two girls continued forward without another word. "Maybe it's silly, but..."

"I'm beginning to regret it," Rei sighed, slumping a bit. "Nee-nee's too cute to be sad..."

_I agree..._ Hayato thought quietly with a sigh. _But we need to remember our mission here..._

_Protecting Lephise by any means necessary. Sorry, nee-chan._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

Just then, a rumble shook the area, and everyone took caution. Akari, somehow, fell into Hinata's arms, causing her to blush.

She tried to clear the blush, but to no avail. _No!! I told myself I wouldn't fall in love anymore... not after what happened..._

"**So you are the two."**

Hinata looked up and...

"Wait. YOU'RE supposed to be Ghadius?" Hinata wondered, a little weirded out.

Indeed, Ghadius had appeared in front of the party, nothing more than a bird-styled headpiece and two clawed hands connected to a massive, outer-dimensional cloak.

"**Do not let appearances fool you, elemental. I have many dark powers that are far superior to your elemental abilities. Oh, and speaking of power... Hayato, when were you and your siblings going to tell the light elemental the truth?"**

This snapped Akari's attention to Ghadius. "What... are you talking about?"

"**Oh, they didn't tell you?"** Ghadius laughed menacingly. **"All three of them have known of your powers from the very beginning."**

That simple statement seemed to stun Akari.

"**I'll give you some time to mull that over."**

And with that, Ghadius disappeared.

Akari slowly turned to face the rest of her family, trying not to show any anger before it really mattered.

"You... you all lied to me?" Akari asked.

"We had to, Akari-nee-chan," Hayato responded. "We wanted you to have a normal childhood without freaks like Gaul or Ghadius trying to kill you for your power."

"That's no way for our beloved nee-nee to live her life," Rei stated.

"We really love you, nee-nee," Yume continued. "We love you with all our hearts."

Akari just stood there, shivering uncontrollably.

"You have to understand, nee-nee..."

"SHUT UP!!!!!"

Akari instantly spun around and unleashed a massive blast of light energy that knocked all three of her siblings right to the ground.

"Nee-nee, what was that for?" Yume asked.

"After all this time... I trusted you... and now I find out that YOU LIED TO ME?!!" Akari exclaimed.

"We didn't WANT to, nee-chan," Hayato responded, hoping that the situation wouldn't escalate any further. _It's probably too late. Ghadius just ruined everything._

"And yet you did anyway!!!" Akari shot back, tears streaming from her eyes and a light energy aura raging out of control around her. "My so-called 'parents' didn't even love me because I wasn't their daughter!!! I was USED my whole freaking life because of my powers!! And now I find out that the only people I thought I could trust, the only people that I thought still loved me for real... I FIND OUT YOU'VE BEEN BETRAYING ME MY WHOLE LIFE?!!"

"But we DO love you, nee-nee," Yume stated. "We really do."

"IF YOU REALLY LOVED ME, THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE LIED TO ME!!!!!" Akari screamed, the tears falling faster then before.

Finally just losing her patience, Akari spun around, aiming her glowing hands towards her three siblings.

"Akari-nee-chan, please calm down!!!" Hayato exclaimed, knowing that he and his older twin sisters were about to be killed by his hysterical eldest sister if someone didn't do something fast.

"Don't you tell me to calm down!!! NOT AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!!!" Akari screamed, the light pulsing in her hands growing exponentially stronger, emphasizing to everyone else what she was about to do.

"I thought I could trust you... WAS THIS ALL JUST A DAMN GAME TO YOU??!!!"

The aura surrounding Akari only seemed to strengthen the energy she was gathering.

"No one's going to lie to me anymore."

_SLAP!!!!_

And just like that, Akari had been knocked to the floor after getting slapped in the face by a very pissed off Hinata.

"KNOCK IT OFF, Akari-chan!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "They're still your family!!!"

"They LIED to me, Hinata-chan!!!" Akari shot back. "They deserve whatever they get!!"

Another slap resounded.

"Don't talk like that!!!" Hinata screamed. "They LOVE you, Akari-chan!! They'd give their LIVES for you!!! My parents did the same thing with my powers, but I STILL love them because they loved me, even though I wasn't their real daughter!!!"

Before Akari could say anything else, Hinata beat her to the punch.

"Why would you selfishly throw away the love you have for your siblings just because they PROTECTED you from freaks who only wanted your powers?!" Hinata exclaimed. "Answer me THAT!!!!"

Akari just stood there, completely silent.

"They love you more than life itself, Akari-chan," Hinata continued, tears starting to fall from her own eyes. "Can't you see that? If they didn't, we probably wouldn't even be here right now... Akari-chan, listen. You DO have people that love you, despite what you've said."

"But... they lied..."

Not wasting any time, Hinata walked up to the near-hysterical Akari and wrapped her arms around the crying girl.

"Akari-chan, though we're both Japanese, have you ever heard of the Hawaiian word _ohana_?" Hinata asked.

Akari perked up at this, slowly nodding.

"_Ohana_ means family. And family means..." Akari stated.

"...nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten," Hinata finished. "Do you understand, Akari-chan? They only lied to you because they love you. They just want you to be happy."

Hinata flashed one of her famous smiles, and that was it for Akari, who burst out crying and threw her arms around Hinata, crying into the blond girl's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay, Akari-chan. Just let it all out."

And she did, just crying into Hinata's shoulder for a few minutes until her tears had subsided.

"There we go," Hinata giggled. "See? You have people who care about you. We all do."

Hinata suddenly frowned a bit. "We're still not friends, though, are we?"

Akari surprised Hinata by leaning forward to plant a kiss on the snow elemental's cheek. "Not quite yet... but we're close enough."

Hinata's smile brightened considerably at that.

"I DO trust you, Hinata-chan, I really do... just not enough to call you my friend just yet. But we're definitely making progress, okay?" Akari explained.

"That's all I could ask for, Akari-chan," Hinata giggled. "We'll work on said issues of full trust after we stomp Ghadius, okay?"

Akari nodded. "Got it."

Akari then looked over at her siblings, who had considerably calmed down in the aftermath of Akari's outburst. "Sorry I scared you guys."

"It's all right, nee-nee!!" Yume giggled. "We still love you!!"

"You need a hug to see that we're telling the truth?" Rei continued.

"NEE-NEE NEEDS A HUG!!!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed at the same time, rushing up to hug their older sister.

Hinata couldn't help but smile at that, turning towards Hayato.

"You still freaked?" Hinata teased.

"A little," Hayato admitted. "But I'm just glad nee-chan's gonna be all right."

"Yeah, I was pretty freaked out when she went yandere back there," Hinata noted. "But I think she'll be all right."

_I was happy to hear that Akari-chan trusted me. Though we're not friends just yet (Akari-chan says we're getting close, though. That's good), we have all the time we need to work that out. Right now, priority one is stomping Ghadius and his Phases. Little did I realize that Gaul was about to visit us again. Persistent little bastard doesn't know when to give up..._


	2. Act 2: Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room

Act 2: Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_And just like that, I learned the truth... I don't know why I acted the way I did... But all of a sudden there were these vicious emotions inside of me... like... like..._

Her eyes went blank.

_Like someone had hurt the one I cared about most, the only one I really cared about... no wait, this analogy can't be right!!_

Akari shook her head, blushing a deep shade of red.

_T-That's so strange... All of a sudden, I felt like I was a different person..._

"Don't you know," a woman's voice giggled as Akari turned around, facing that same mysterious woman from earlier. "That there are other people in this world with your power?"

"I-I nearly forgot about you..."

"Did you?" she giggled, brushing her blond hair back. "Either way, elementals only show up in pairs, and there's supposedly a connection between those two."

"Ah... so that's why Hinata-chan and I got along so easily," Akari muttered, blinking. "But that feeling... was it Hinata-chan's?"

"Nope. You see, by elementals only showing up in pairs, it means there's only supposed to be a pair at a time... You were experiencing emotions felt by another elemental who shared your powers... funny, you two may never meet, but..."

The woman smiled, giggling.

"But I think you may meet the person that elemental is connected to, dear Akari-chan."

"H-How did you know my name?!" the light elemental gasped, backing away in fear.

"I know everything about you elementals... Especially ones as rare and as special as you and Hinata-chan."

"I-Is that so?"

Akari looked down, gulping.

I still never found out who she was... is she after my powers like Gaul and Ghadius?!

"You can trust me, Akari-chan."

"H-Huh?"

The cherry-haired girl looked up, her breathing slow.

"Y-You..."

The woman's smile brightened.

"Yes, you will definitely meet the one he's connected to... just not anytime soon."

"He? Who IS he?!" Akari demanded, blushing a deep red. "Who am I supposed to meet?!"

If there's someone else like me out there, though... what kind of person is it? Is it someone nice like Hinata-chan?

"You may end up meeting the young twilight princess as well... if those two are doing as well as they should be." The woman laughed.

"Ah... and Hinata-chan may meet another who has elemental powers, but isn't quite an elemental... your fates with these people are already entwined."

"But who ARE they?! These people like me...?"

"Only one at a time, Akari-chan."

The woman smiled ruefully, shaking her head.

"You may never meet the one whose powers are truly like yours... but if you want to learn the most amazing way to use your powers... you may need to follow his example on how your powers can be manipulated."

"But if I never meet that person..."

"Elemental powers are based off an element and your instinctive reaction... in order to learn how to manipulate your powers, you must first find someone, perhaps your other half, and imagine any type of scenario where you have no real choice."

Akari's eyes widened.

_Someone... my other half? Like Hinata-chan, maybe?_

The woman nodded, and she gasped.

"Oh... okay, then."

"First, imagine that person getting hurt. Feel those hostile emotions?"

"She got hurt... earlier..." the light elemental muttered quietly, shrugging. "I didn't feel anything hostile about it."

"Ah right, you two hadn't been together since the very beginning as elementals tend to be..." she sighed. "This may be harder than I thought."

"Then what do I do?"

"Let's try with someone you've known for a while... Ah yes, you first used your powers when Rei-chan got hurt, right? Imagine that again."

"I-I don't want to..." Akari shuddered, remembering at how near-death Rei was, how brutal the sight was. "Not to Rei..."

"Then to Hayato-kun, if you please."

The light elemental bit her lip but shut her eyes to imagine the sight, her breath getting stuck in her throat.

"H-Haya..."

"Good. You're doing it... how do you fear?"

"Scared... worried... I have to help him..."

"No other emotions?" the woman was pensive now. "Do you see Ghadius or Gaul above him?"

"N-No...it was an accident...like with Rei..."

"That's how to draw up your healing powers, in case of accidents... your other half, if her element was more closely drawn to yours, could have done the same thing... But her sister was hurt once, and what were her feelings at the time?"

"I-I don't know... we hadn't met yet."

Akari shuddered, her fists clenching.

_B-But... I'm still afraid..._

"She felt rage, anger... revenge." the woman made a 'tch' sound. "You have to feel those same emotions if you want to manipulate your powers in the most psychologically offensive way possible."

"I-I don't quite know what that means... sorry."

"No worries." She laughed. "It's understandable, but you see, elementals' personalities tend to be opposite of their element. After first impression."

"I still don't know what that means," Akari quipped, her eyes opening in worry. "Can you please?"

The mysterious woman just nodded.

"For example... Hinata-chan's cold, undying hatred for Ghadius is what ties into her being the snow elemental, but as you can see, Hinata-chan is very warm-hearted and considerate towards others...her name even means 'in the sun'! The irony..."

"Yeah... I see that about Hinata-chan, but me..."

"First impressions given, you're a delicate but strong person, Akari-chan. Very considerate, and very self-sacrificing. Just like how light tends to be."

Akari nodded, though there was a growing feeling of nausea in her stomach.

"Y-Yes, and...?"

"However, as you noticed earlier," the woman sighed, shaking her head.

"You can be a bit of a yandere, can't you?"

Akari's blush deepened as she looked down in shame.

"I-I didn't mean to lose my temper... I was just so angry and so sick of being used that I..."

"That's the downside to being an elemental of light-associated elements. You have a dark side to you that can quite easily override your senses... the sadness of the constant abuse of dark magic... it can even override an elemental of the dark element if his heart is fragile enough...."

"Um... Miss...?"

The 'miss' sighed again, shrugging.

"I swear, elementals all have some sort of complex... either they fall in love with someone that attracts their element or they fall in love with each other... there's that bond that's deep, deeper than platonic and even deeper than love itself..."

"So that's what that feeling was..." Akari whispered carefully, blinking. "So there's something dark or something amazing about every elemental."

"Indeed."

"So... about my powers."

"You don't quite need to manipulate them in that way, Akari-chan. I apologize. But it shall be a while..."

"Ah..."

Akari soon smiled.

"No worries. I don't think I ever want to use my powers like that ever again."

"You may change your mind sometime soon, but alas..."

The light elemental blinked before she looked at her hands and gasped, seeing as they were now transparent.

"W-Wait... no..."

"I'll see you, Akari-chan."

"S-Stop," she exclaimed, trying to reach out for the woman. "Who are you?!"

"You'll know that soon enough... in fact, you already do..."

Akari's eyes widened as she faded away completely.

_Lephise... you...?_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Akari-chan? AKARI-CHAN!!! Please wake up!!"

Hinata shook Akari, still trying to get the light elemental to her senses, Rei and Yume at her sides.

"Nee-nee..."

"Please wake up..."

Miyu gulped. "All of a sudden, she just fainted... what happened?"

Hayato gulped.

"I wonder if..."

"Lephise... Don't go... Wait..."

"Akari-chan?" Hinata wondered as Akari's lips pursed, forming the words. Hayato's eyes jolted wide.

_Wait... Lephise?_

"I don't... understand..."

"Nee-nee!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed at the same time, making Akari's eyes shot open wide.

"Ah...!"

"Akari-chan!!" Hinata exclaimed in relief, making Akari blink as they stood up, the twins staring up at their older sister in confusion.

"Nee..."

"...nee?"

Akari soon smiled, laughing.

"S-Sorry about that Hinata-chan, something weird happened and..."

"I'm just glad you're alright, Akari-chan."

Akari blushed at that, sighing.

"Thanks..."

Hayato blinked before sighing heavily.

_Lephise... she's a troublemaker like always..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_Well, as we started to do battle with the next of the seven Phases, I pretty quickly realized that things weren't going to be anywhere as easy as I thought they'd be. Not to mention the fact that Gaul was still trying to mess with us, and the fact that Lephise was unknowingly causing us a whole MESS of trouble..._

Just then, a massive rumbling began to shake the very foundations of Cress.

"What the...?" Miyu exclaimed.

"I can sense another one of the Phases," Hayato stated, tensing up. "We'd best get ready..."

"Wait, how exactly can you sense the Phases, Hayato-kun?" Hinata wondered as the rumbling got worse.

"I'll tell you when we're not in danger, okay?" Hayato exclaimed just as the rumbling stopped.

What happened next surprised pretty much everyone present.

A girl no older than Hinata had appeared, sporting a skin-tight purple jumpsuit. She had pure black eyes and had shoulder-length blue hair. She was also wearing a cape that flowed down her back, and sparkles of dark energy seemed to shine all around her. Hinata noted that she was actually quite an attractive woman.

The only problem with this? As soon as this mystery woman had appeared, she had started French kissing Hayato.

"Okay, if that's not spontaneous, I don't know what the hell is," Hinata noted, blushing madly.

Akari didn't seem to share this sentiment, light energy already surrounding her hands and a battle-ready look in her cherry pink eyes.

The mystery girl let Hayato go and turned towards Akari. "Oh, did I make elder sis angry?" she asked in a very flirtatious voice.

The girl giggled. "It's so much fun watching you moon people squirm. I am Innis, the Mirage. Master Ghadius told me I'd find you here. So, which one of you will I have the pleasure of slamming into the floor?"

Akari then stepped up, still ready for a smack down. "I'll fight you. Don't you DARE touch my brother like that."

"You have a lot of spunk. I'm going to have fun tearing you apart piece by piece."

Akari grinned. "Don't bet on it."

With that, Akari charged straight at Innis, who easily dodged the incoming attack.

Not wasting any time, Akari used her elemental power to propel herself right back at Innis, striking her in her neck.

Innis stumbled forward before spinning around and launching dark energy blades towards Akari.

The nimble light elemental used said nimbleness to effectively dodge the attack before charging up her own.

_"ARAIDASU!!!"_

A massive burst of light erupted from Akari's palms and struck Innis for a good toll of damage.

"So, you are definitely stronger than I thought. This will be a fun battle, indeed."

"We'll see," Akari responded.

"Hey, just 'cause you're the one fighting here doesn't mean I can't help!!" Hinata exclaimed, rushing onto the battlefield.

"Two cute girls to fight!! Let's see if your snow is as awesome as her light," Innis proclaimed.

"Believe me, I'm just as awesome as Akari-chan is," Hinata proclaimed. "Because she's my friend, even if I'm not hers yet."

Not wasting a second, Hinata brought both of her hands behind her.

"Eat this, girly girl!!" Hinata exclaimed. _"Strike Blizzard!!!"_

Hinata quickly unleashed a blizzard from her hands, though this blizzard appeared to be more compact and focused. The rampaging snowflakes slammed head-on into Innis and caused quite a bit of damage.

"Wow, that was actually pretty cool, Hinata-chan," Akari giggled. No pun intended, of course.

"One of the techniques I picked up during our elemental training," Hinata responded.

Just then, a massive longsword thundered into the scene, forcing Hinata and Akari to force their attention away from Innis so they could dodge.

"Well, well. Still fighting these inferior Phases, are you?"

"GAUL?!!" Yume exclaimed, waving her arms about wildly. "All this and you, too?!"

"Precisely, hatchling," Gaul growled. "I have a task delivered to me by Master Malefor, and I will complete it."

"HEY!!! You're interrupting my battle!!" Innis complained.

"Silence, Phase peon," Gaul growled, moving his left sword faster than anyone thought possible for an ape of Gaul's size. One mighty swing and Innis was no more.

"Now for what I came for," Gaul stated, aiming his other sword right for Hayato.

"HAYATO!!!!" Akari exclaimed, light energy wrapping around her hands.

"Now, Hayato, I know you know all about this place and its inhabitants," Gaul challenged, holding his sword dangerously close to Hayato's face. "ESPECIALLY that wretch Lephise. You will tell me everything you know, or I will carve you up like a roast turkey. No one make a single move until the boy is done explaining, or he dies."

Akari just stood there, completely unsure what to do.

_And just like that, that bastard Gaul had us completely cornered. This is NOT the way I wanted to find out what Hayato-kun knows!! Man, I've never felt so helpless in my life. Gaul had us absolutely cold... and that scared me..._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_What do I do?_

Akari's eyes widened in horror as she watched her youngest brother being threatened, all too aware of the defensive look crossing Hayato's expression.

_Hayato..._

"You know, Gaul," he finally began, his voice low. "I can't believe you still have to resort to such tactics to get what you want for your master... Don't you know it never works?"

"You aren't in the position to be making threats, boy."

"I'm not making threats." Hayato sighed, pressing down the sword. "I'm just saying... I've been through things you wouldn't even imagine."

"Hayato, please..." Rei began, staying close to Yume. "Tell him, what difference will it make if he knows...? If we all know?!"

Gaul simply smirked.

"Listen to the girl, Hayato. You have no other choice."

"I have plenty of choices," he retorted, still defensive and calm despite his position. "I don't care if you kill me, Gaul. I've died more times than I can count, you know."

Akari looked shocked at that.

"W-What...?"

"It's called reincarnation, don't you know? How else would someone around this age know? About anything?"

Hayato smiled serenely, tracing the tip of the sword, drawing blood.

"If I get killed, I'll get reborn again. You can't get rid of me. I suppose it would be best, after all, there's so little this body could do..."

"Haya... No..." Akari squeaked, tears cracking in her voice. Her little brother looked towards her with a rueful smile.

"You really are something, huh nee-chan? I think you're the only thing I'll miss about this life..."

"If you're not going to comply, I might as well get rid of you," Gaul sneered, aiming for Hayato's heart.

"If you kill me, you're never going to know. But what good will it do? I'm not revealing anything about Lephise, no matter how much of a troublemaker she is."

He folded his arms, huffing.

"But for Akari's sake, I might tell you on one condition. That condition being that you stay away from my sisters."

Gaul smirked.

"Remember your position?"

"Big deal, so I might die again... Give me another reason to comply."

"Haya, just tell him!!" Yume exclaimed, on the verge on losing it. "We don't want you to die, alright?! Come on!!"

Miyu bit her lip.

_What do we do? His life is in Gaul's hands...and he doesn't even seem to care about it!!_

"Hayato..." Akari whispered, making BOTH Hinata and Hayato perk up. "Please..."

"Akari-chan..." Hinata began, worried.

_If she loses Hayato-kun... What will happen?_

Hayato gulped, his eyes glimmering.

_Aka...ri..._

That was when Gaul noticed the hesitance on the young boy's face, chuckling darkly.

_I see... So that's this annoying reincarnate's weakness..._

"Tell ya what, kid," he laughed maniacally, pressing his sword lightly to his throat, making him snap up. "Take a good look at the light elemental, because unless you comply, she's going to be the one to suffer."

Hayato's eyes widened.

_Akari..._

"W-What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't want that precious little girl of yours hurt, now do you? Even if your life doesn't mean anything, hers does, correct?"

Hayato growled, his calm front fading.

"I swear if you even get near my sister..."

Gaul's smirk only widened. "There's only one way to ensure hers and your own safety."

Hayato perked up at that, looking off to the side in complementation.

_All I want is Akari and Lephise safe... But die, Akari will be hurt... Listen, Lephise will be put in danger..._

He shut his eyes tightly, groaning.

_I'll have to try this one thing..._

"Fine, whatever. I'll tell you everything, Gaul. Just keep your filthy hands off of Lephise and Akari... Their safety is all I ask."

Gaul nodded, but smirked. "Just spit it out."

"Hayato..." Yume and Rei stated at the same time, mirroring each other's worried faces.

"Hayato-kun..." Hinata murmured, holding a shivering Akari close to her.

Akari's eyes just filled with tears, a sob escaping her throat.

"H-Haya... Please..."

"I already told you that I was an incarnate, my soul first sprouted around in these parts..." Hayato looked around, shrugging. "That's why I know it so well... I've been reborn here so many times that it's all natural to me."

"I'm not that interested in your many life stories." Gaul snapped, getting impatient. "Just your secrets. Maybe with that oh so precious Lephise you've been protecting?"

"Call her a childhood and everlasting friend," he sighed, huffing. "She's the same as me. You can't kill her. But if you're interested in her power, I can't help you. She disappears off somewhere almost all the time... She hasn't changed since the first lifetime, really..."

"Cut to the chase."

"Right..."

Akari blinked in disbelief.

"Hayato...knows Lephise?"

"So who's Lephise exactly?" Hinata wondered, a little confused. "You know her, Akari-chan? You've met her in person?"

"I... I think I have..."

Akari bit her lip, her eyes glimmering.

_But... I didn't think that my Haya would... No... He's not mine... He's just someone in his body, pretending to be my brother!! But...still..._

"She contains the power you're looking for, Gaul," he spat out, growling. "But you'll never find her... Lephise only appears to those she likes. And she hates you."

"Awfully defensive of that wrench, aren't you?"

"Don't talk about her like that!!" Hayato snapped before he was shoved aside.

"You're safe for the time being... But don't think you can protect her forever. I suppose I should thank you, but..."

Gaul laughed, disappearing in a flash of darkness.

"Farewell."

"Lephise..." Hayato murmured as he got slowly to his feet, Akari quickly by his side and helping him up.

"Haya... Are you...?"

"I'm fine," he brother groaned, pulling away his arm. "I'm just worried about Lephise is all..."

Akari blinked.

"Haya... No... What's your real name anyway? You're not really my brother...are you?"

"This body is," Hayato stated matter-of-factly before forcing a smile. "And what do you mean 'real name'? I have too many of those, but Hayato is a favorite so keep calling me that if you like, Akari-nee-chan."

Akari flinched.

"Your first name received, then?"

He shrugged, shaking his head. "Sorry... Only Lephise can know that."

"Hayato-kun... I think..." Hinata began, walking up, making him perk up with an 'ah' sound.

"I suppose you want me to explain?"

The snow elemental nodded.

"Yes please."

Yume and Rei casted uneasy glances towards one another.

"Uh..."

Miyu just took caution.

"Just say it, Hayato-kun."

Hayato looked at Akari, who frowned.

"H-Haya...to...?"

He soon smiled, sighing.

"Do you want to know the truth? I'll make an exception for you, Akari."

Akari lightly blushed at that, nodding.

"P-Please... I'm so confused..."

"Very well, then."

Hayato folded his arms, looking about.

"Where do I start...?"

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_So, Hayato-kun explained everything to us. Boy, was I shocked by some of the things he told us. And little did I realize that Lephise was about to put in her first appearance. That's when I found out how much of a troublemaker Lephise could be..._

"Well, if you want to know the truth..." Hayato paused for a second, as if adding dramatic effect. "...I'm actually Lephise's son."

Complete silence filled the area for a few seconds.

Miyu was the first to speak, a little confused. "You're... Lephise's son?"

"Yep," Hayato responded. "You could call me her son. I've been with Cress for as long as it's existed. Since I share my abilities with Lephise, we've been using them to protect Cress from sickos like Ghadius and Gaul. Ghadius has actually been around for quite a while, and he's really been harassing us. But until recently, we never had the power to defeat him permanently."

"Permanently? Could I get a footnote here?" Hinata wondered.

"Ghadius has actually been destroyed many times in this time frame, but as there is a certain part of him that no one on Cress, not even me or Lephise, has the power to destroy, he always manages to resurrect himself after every stomping we hand him," Hayato explained. "Recently, Lephise realized that the only one that could destroy Ghadius for good would be a light elemental... like nee-chan."

Hayato smiled at Akari before continuing. "But when Akari-nee-chan came to my family in Japan, I started to fear that Ghadius would learn of her power and try to eliminate her. Mom and dad knew about this as well, so as we raised Akari-nee-chan as part of the family, we did everything we could to keep Ghadius off of her scent."

"So you wanted to make sure Akari-chan's powers were sufficient enough so we could take on Ghadius?" Hinata asked.

"I didn't want to force her through it. I love Akari-nee-chan with all my heart, but Lephise is also like a sister to me," Hayato continued. "No way was I going to let my birthplace fall to someone like Ghadius."

Once he was finished, Hayato walked up to Akari.

"Akari-nee-chan, I may not be your real brother, but I'm still your brother, okay?" Hayato stated matter-of-factly. "You remember what Hinata-chan said about _ohana_? That means that nobody gets left behind or forgotten. I'm certainly not going to do either of that to you, Akari-chan."

Akari just nodded, throwing her arms around Hayato and hugging him tightly. "That's all I wanted to hear, nii-chan."

"YAY!!! NII-NII'S STAYING WITH US!!!" Yume and Rei giggled.

Akari couldn't help but smile at that.

Just then, all of a sudden, something rushed across her vision...

"_S-Saiki-kun! Is she...?!"_

"_She's alive..." Saiki responded, sounding relieved. "She just fainted from fatigue by the looks of it." Yuki let a huge sigh of relief herself before getting down._

"_What should we do, Saiki-kun? Bring her to a doctor?" she asked, feeling Akari's forehead for a fever._

"_That..."_

"_Urgh..."_

"_...apparently won't be necessary," he finished before taking her in his arms and smoothing down her long, ruby red hair. "Hey... Hey. Are you okay?"_

_Akari's cherry pink eyes opened up slowly. "H...Huh? What...?" She looked at Saiki, and then at Yuki, who gave her a friendly smile._

"_Um... Hi! What's your name?"_

_She was so surprised, she answered._

"_A... Akari. It's Akari."_

"_Oh, what a pretty name!" Yuki exclaimed, happily. "My name is Yuki! And this is my boyfriend and future husband, Saiki-kun!" Saiki glared at Yuki for a few moments before looking back at Akari._

"_So Akari-chan... Do you need anything?"_

_"H-Help..." her voice wavered. "I need help!!"_

"You okay, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked.

"I should be... I just had a weird vision..." Akari responded.

"You should not consider these visions 'weird', young elemental."

Everyone except Hayato perked up at that voice.

Hayato couldn't do much but laugh. "Lephise-sama... it's about time you showed up."

As if responding to that particular statement, a young woman around Hinata and Akari's age appeared in the air. She had bright gold eyes, long blonde hair tied into two ponytails, and was wearing a celestial-looking robe that marked her as Cress royalty.

"I figured now would be a good time to appear," Lephise giggled.

"You're still a troublemaker after all this time, aren't you, Lephise?" Hayato laughed.

Akari was quite surprised. "So that woman I saw before... that WAS you, Lephise!!"

"Indeed," Lephise responded.

Hinata just shook her head.

All of a sudden, a flash of light caught the teenagers' attention. They all turned around just in time to see Hayato now dressed in clothes similar to Lephise's.

"This is what I usually wear when I'm on Cress," Hayato noted. "Up here, my latent powers are at their full potential, so I may be able to help you guys out. I'm sorry you had to find out this way, nee-chan."

Akari shook her head, walking up to Hayato and hugging him.

"It's okay, Hayato-kun. You're still my brother, no matter what anyone says," Akari stated. "And I still love you."

Hayato smiled as he hugged his eldest sister back. "I love you, too, nee-chan."

Just then, the area began rumbling violently.

"ANOTHER earthquake? How many are there going to be?!" Yume exclaimed.

"I sense one of Ghadius' Phases nearby. You had best prepare yourself," Lephise noted.

Hinata just sweatdropped at that. "Hayato-kun was right about you, Lephise... you attract trouble like a magnet, don't you?"

Lephise just giggled.

_Yeeeeeeeah... that was weird. So just as Lephise makes her first appearance, we were about to face off with another of Ghadius' Phases. Little did I realize that this Phase was going to do something that would REALLY make me mad... and that's when Akari-chan and everyone else would learn that I can be VERY dangerous when I get mad..._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_I was scared... I was really scared..._

Akari pushed Hayato behind her, making him perk up.

"Nee...chan?"

"Stay close, Haya."

Lephise giggled at that.

"Haya? What a cute nickname. I never thought you'd be like that..."

Hayato glared at her.

"No comment."

Rei and Yume pulled each other close.

"Rei..."

"Yume..."

"Are you ready?"

"Let's do it, alright?"

"Right."

Miyu took caution as well, gulping.

_I have a bad feeling about this..._

"Akari-chan, you ready?" Hinata asked, making the light elemental perk up. "Let's go."

"Of course..." Akari whispered, her eyes glimmering. "Let's do it."

_But I wanted to protect Hayato and Lephise... It was the least I could do after everything that had happened..._

"Careful, Akari," Hayato stated, lightly tugging on her blouse. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

Akari simply nodded, gulping.

_I was worried...that something would hurt someone precious to me, and this feeling that I had at the time... It really wasn't helping matters either..._

"Hinata-chan... I'm scared."

Hinata perked up at that and quickly smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you, Akari-chan."

Akari's eyes widened at that.

_But I didn't trust her, I was really anxious..._

All of a sudden, dark energy busted up from the ground, making them all jump in surprise.

"W-What?!"

The light elemental's eyes soon shot open in horror as she saw the hideous beast, which was like an ox, only on two hooves, with big hairy arms. Its face was frightening and gruesome, with two large fangs, huge curled-up horns, and blood-red eyes that seemed bloodthirsty.

Akari smuggled a yelp in fear and cowered back, Hayato clinging to her waist.

"Tarvos...the Avenger."

"He's a lot uglier than I would have imagined," Lephise noted, blinking. "He almost freaks ME out..."

"Stay back everyone," Hinata stated, holding out her arms. "I won't let this beast harm any of you."

"Don't be so cocky!!" Yume exclaimed, pulling Rei close. "That thing's too scary!!"

Her twin sister nodded.

"Be careful, Hinata-san!!"

_Just seeing that thing... I'm already afraid..._

"Hear that nee-san? Don't go charging in like you always do!!" Miyu exclaimed, earning her older sister to huff.

"Hey, Miyu..!!!"

"Hinata-chan..." Akari murmured, her hands close as tears welled up in her eyes. "D-Do be careful..."

"Nee-chan..." Hayato murmured in concern while Hinata's eyes softened as she smiled.

"No worries okay, Akari-chan?"

The light elemental hiccupped at that, almost surprised as she let out a sigh, shaking her head.

_This feeling that I have... What is it anyway? I can't get rid of it... It's like impending doom and..._

She shut her eyes tightly, shivering.

_I can't help but be afraid of it!!_

"Akari?" her brother wondered, confused. "Are you alright?"

"Hey, don't let that thing scare you!" Lephise exclaimed, her fist tightened. "There are MUCH scarier things out there, believe me!!"

"Um, Lephise? I don't think that's helping," Hayato groaned, patting Akari's upper-arm. "Come on, sis... Stay with us..."

"Akari-chan..." Hinata murmured in worry, her eyes wide.

What's wrong with her? Akari-chan...

Before the snow elemental could further ponder this, Tarvos let out a roar, causing them all to flinch.

"N-No..." Akari gasped, shoving Hayato far back, surprising him.

"Nee-chan, don't!!"

The beast rushed forward and snatched up the light elemental by her throat, making her choke.

Hinata's eyes shot wide at that, as if something within her unlocked.

_Akari-chan..._

Akari whimpered as she gripped the massive around her crushed neck, saliva trickled from the corner of her lips.

"Haahhh... Stop..."

_I have to enhance my bones...otherwise my neck will be busted up, and I'll die for sure... That can't happen!!_

Hinata's eyes further widened, her fists shaking.

_Akari-chan..._

As soon as she saw the light elemental cough up a bit of blood, sobbing silently, that's when it all unleashed.

_AKARI-CHAN!!!_

"GET YOUR FIFLTY HANDS OFF OF MY AKARI-CHAN!!!" Hinata screamed, a massive blizzard slamming into Tarvos, knocking Akari away for Yume and Rei to quickly catch her.

"NEE-NEE!!"

"You're going to pay for that," the snow elemental growled, her fingers twitching as she threw them forward, unleashing another attack.

_"Blizzard's Claw Devastator!!!"_

The attack slammed into Tarvos with more power than usual, and just like that, he faded away into nothingness, earning Hinata to huff.

"That was easier than I thought."

"So the snow elemental shows her true colors," Lephise noted while she healed the damage done to the unconscious Akari, sighing. "There. That should do it."

"Lephise..." Hayato began. "That power..."

"Don't worry about it, okay?" she smiled, ruffling his hair. "Anyway, I need to get going. Take care of them, alright?"

He nodded and just like that she vanished without a trace.

"Hinata..." Miyu began only to be pushed aside as her sister stalked her way to Akari.

"A-Akari-chan..."

Akari stirred, murmuring something that made Hinata's heart nearly stop.

"Hate...her...Hinata-chan..."

"Nee-nee?" Rei wondered while Hinata remain silent, her fists shaking.

"Looks like she'll remain sleeping for a few extra moments." Yume observed, relieved. "That's good."

"Hey, sis?" Miyu wondered again as Hinata bolted off her face flushed.

"N-Need some time alone, sorry!!"

"Wait, nee-san!!"

She quickly rushed after her, making Hayato exhale a sigh.

"I swear..."

_I never thought the snow elemental would be like that..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_And just like that, my world pretty much shattered. I never even realized... what if she didn't like me like that? God, was that a blow to my pride... I know I may have some romantic feelings for Akari-chan, but I still wanted to be friends with her... is that really what she thinks of me?_

Hinata stared up into the skylight of the crystalline area she found herself in. Tears were falling from her eyes.

"Akari-chan..." Hinata stated to nobody in particular. "Akari-chan, I'm SO sorry... I never meant for you to be dragged into any of this..."

"**It's really your own fault, you know."**

"SHUT IT, Ghadius," Hinata shot back, frost-blue energy wrapping around her fists. "I'm not in the mood."

"**You're the one who dragged her into this little adventure of yours. I guess it wouldn't really be a surprise if she hates you."**

"I SAID SHUT IT!!!!" Hinata screamed, a vicious blue aura springing to life around her.

"**Such anger, little snow elemental. If you surrender your powers to me, I promise I will make all your troubles go away."**

"No," was Hinata's curt reply. "Someone once told me that you'll never get anything done by making someone do it for you. I've chosen my path in life, and whether or not Akari-chan really hates me, I'll still be loyal to her."

"**Why is that? I don't understand. After what she said to you?"**

"I figured you wouldn't be able to understand, GHADIUS," Hinata growled. "The reason I'll still be loyal to Akari-chan, despite what she's said about me... is because she's my friend."

"**Foolish wretch!! You could never understand the dark forces that are at work here!! That wretched girl betrayed you!!"**

Surprisingly to Ghadius, that statement did little to quell Hinata's anger.

"Don't... you... DARE talk about Akari-chan like that, you little son of a bitch!!!" Hinata exclaimed, the aura surrounding her becoming fiercer every time Hinata's temper flared.

"**Very well, then."**

Just then, a massive flash surrounded Hinata, and when she could see again, she had been transported to the inside of what appeared to be a massive, rotating wheel of stone. The entire rest of the area was nothing more than a swirling green void.

The first thing that Hinata noticed was that a much bigger Ghadius was floating right in front of her, just outside the spinning wheel she was stranded on.

"So, you want a fight, huh?" Hinata quipped.

Ghadius ignored her, spinning his hands around and summoning what appeared to be meteors.

"**You have no chance."**

Ghadius pointed towards where Hinata was standing, and the meteors he had summoned slowly started falling. Hinata tried to run forward, but the momentum of the wheel was too strong for her.

However, when one of the meteors bumped her on the head, and she easily caught it, Hinata came up with a wickedly clever idea.

Not wasting any time, Hinata aimed the meteor and threw it straight at Ghadius' headpiece...

...only for it to bounce off.

"What?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"**Your plan didn't work, girlie."**

"Oh, that BITES!!!!" Hinata exclaimed, absent-mindedly throwing another meteor she'd caught straight at Ghadius' cloak.

Hinata was surprised to see that this one actually did some damage, as Ghadius nearly keeled over on impact.

"Oh, so the CLOAK is his weak spot," Hinata stated to herself, keeping her voice low so Ghadius wouldn't overhear her.

Deciding to keep this up, Hinata began running against the rotation of the wheel, trying to catch some more meteors before they fell off of the wheel.

Hinata eventually succeeded in capturing two more meteors that she wasted no time in hurling at Ghadius' cloak, pleased to see the pained look on Ghadius' non-existent face when they made impact.

"**Argh... see how you like this."**

Not wasting a second, Ghadius began spinning his hands around again.

Hinata tensed up, ready for whatever was coming.

She sure didn't expect lightning bolts to start dropping from whatever was the sky.

Hinata started hopping up and down in an attempt to gain some more momentum to avoid the lightning bolts.

After catching another two meteors, Hinata suddenly noticed that Ghadius wasn't watching her, apparently being preoccupied with firing his lightning bolts.

So, Hinata hustled in throwing the two meteors at Ghadius' cloak, causing even further damage.

"Take THAT, freak show!!" Hinata taunted, sticking her tongue out at Ghadius.

"**You are beginning to vex me."**

With that, Ghadius pointed at Hinata again, and a yellow crystal started falling towards her.

"Thanks for giving me ammo, stupid!!" Hinata giggled, reaching out to grab the crystal...

...only to be teleported to the outside of the wheel when she touched it.

"What the...? AGH!!!!"

That last was brought on when Hinata noticed the waves of energy that were tailing her.

Knowing she'd be toast if the energy waves hit her, Hinata hightailed it to another yellow crystal, very relieved to know that this one had teleported her back to the inside of the wheel.

"Jeez, that was close," Hinata noted, suddenly spotting three meteors just lying on the ground, and Ghadius looked quite tired from unleashing such an attack.

Hinata quickly picked them up and hurled them one by one at Ghadius' cloak, actually ripping a bit of a hole in it on the third hit.

"**Time for something different."**

With that, Ghadius' headpiece began to spin around, glowing multiple colors. Within a few seconds, a few meteors appeared way above Hinata, but were encased by three of the transporter crystals connected by a shockwave.

"**Round we go."**

Ghadius pointed to the ground, and the entire contraption followed its silent command, slamming into the wheel. Hinata just barely dodged in time.

"Okay, we could have a problem here," Hinata summarized. "I don't want to get hit by the energy waves, so I can't touch those yellow crystal thingies, but I need the meteors to throw at Ghadius... what the heck do I do here?"

Hinata's train of thought was interrupted as the odd little 'prison' came rushing at her.

Hinata defended herself by unleashing a quick blast of snow energy at the first yellow crystal...

...only for the crystal to disappear, causing the meteors to fall out.

"Perfect!!" Hinata giggled, catching the meteors before they could fall off of the wheel.

"SPECIAL DELIVERY!!!!" Hinata exclaimed, throwing both meteors straight at Ghadius, the second one tearing a rather large hole in his cloak and signaling the end of the battle.

Ghadius screamed in agony as the Wheel of Woe dissipated, returning both Hinata and Ghadius to Cress.

"**Ugh... impossible... how could I have been defeated by a brat?!"**

"Time and place for everything, right, freak show?" Hinata taunted. "That's what you get for insulting my friend. I don't care WHAT she's said about me, because she's still my friend no matter what you try to make me believe.

"**Impressive for a mere teenager. Do not think this will be our last meeting, girl. Next time, you will not be so lucky."**

And with that, the weakened Ghadius disappeared.

"You do that," Hinata shot back.

_And just like that, I was forced into a rather strange battle with Ghadius. I'll admit, I'm a little surprised that I came out of that battle without a scratch. But that's not even the least of my worries right now... Akari-chan, wherever you are, if you can hear me, I'm so sorry I got you mixed up in this..._

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_"Saiki-kun, you don't have to get so upset over what he said... Oyijiide-san already scolded him, and everyone's worried..."_

_"By everyone, you mean yourself, I presume..."_

_'**Who is he? Is he special to me? It feels that way...'**_

_"Kojiro's worried as well, Saiki-kun."_

_The black-haired boy sighed, backing up further against the wall._

_"I don't want to trouble Koji-san..."_

_A smile tugged at his other's lips, a sigh escaping._

_'**I'm jealous... I don't know why, and... I don't understand...these feelings...'**_

_"Do you not want to trouble me either, Saiki-kun?"_

_"N-No..."_

_"Of course not... But I really do envy you, otouto-chan."_

_'**Ah, he's the little brother... But such power... It feels like an opposite to my own...'**_

_"You know you're not allowed to call me that, onii-chan."_

_'**Onii? Wait, that's not me...'**_

_He chuckled, reaching out to ruffle his little brother's hair._

_'**But it makes me happy for some reason, him calling me that...'**_

_"It's only a sign of affection, you know..."_

_"It's not funny, Akatsuki-kun."_

_'**...Akatsuki? My name's Akari... Akari...'**_

_"But it's true."_

_The younger brother's lips twisted into a grimace as he stood up, defensive._

_"Nii-chan..."_

_'**But these feelings aren't mine... But he's special to this person, very, very special...'**_

_"Glad to see you're alright, Saiki-kun," he laughed._

_'**He's special...but he doesn't know it, does he?'**_

_"Onii-chan..."_

_"It's nothing, Saiki-kun."_

_'**It just makes him happy being with him... This younger brother, twin I suppose... These feelings adore him... Why is that?'**_

Akari's eyes fluttered open, sighing.

"I don't understand..."

"Nee-nee!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed in chorus, relieved. "You're alright!!"

"Y-Yume, Rei..." she began in surprise, sitting up. "Did I...faint?"

The two just nodded.

"We were really worried, nee-nee!!"

"But Hinata-chan took care of that big beast!!"

"So you're okay now, so we're happy!"

"Isn't that great, nee-nee?"

The light elemental blinked, laughing a bit.

"Yeah... Um... Where is Hinata-chan anyway, you two?"

"She left."

Left?

"Left for no reason!"

"Oh Yume, we don't know that..."

"But it still feels that way, Rei."

"Yume, we don't know..."

"It still feels that way!!"

"I-It does, doesn't it...?"

"W-Wait, wait, hold up!!" Akari exclaimed, surprised. "Hinata-chan LEFT?! Why?"

"We don't know!!" they squealed, worried. "But Miyu-chan left after her and neither of them came back!! Auuu~!!!"

"It was because she heard you sleep-talking."

_Sleep...talking?_

"Huh?" Akari perked up to see Hayato staring out into the distance, his arms folded. "Hayato...?"

"She misunderstood something you said... Though I myself..."

"Where's Lephise?"

"Oh, that little troublemaker disappeared without a trace like she always does," Hayato shrugged.

"I may never truly understand her..."

"That's not a nice way to talk about your mother," his older sister stated half-heartedly, sighing. "Hayato, where did Hinata-chan go?"

"Who knows?" he stared at her, his gaze blank. "But Miyu-chan's in trouble, with Ghadius around... But I suppose Hinata-san's alright..."

"Why did you three let them leave?!" Akari exclaimed, exasperated.

"Because we were more worried about you," her siblings stated at the same time, making her blush.

"W-Well that's sweet... But which way did Hinata-chan even go? I have to make something clear with her and..."

"Hold on, Akari," Hayato started, grabbing her wrist. "Let's think things through, first. Hinata-san may be somewhere far off by now..."

"But, Haya..."

"You're top priority, nee-chan. That's not going to change."

"Haya, I'm touched, but..."

"Don't worry nee-nee, we'll find them, and no worries!!" Yume exclaimed, raising her hand.

Rei simply nodded.

"We'll make sure."

"Yume... Rei..."

"We can defend ourselves, and I won't let anything happen to Rei..."

"And I'll protect Yume, so..."

"No worries!!" they exclaimed, shooting a peace sign as they bolted off, leaving Akari and Hayato behind.

"Those twins... Such troublemakers..."

"It's Lephise split into two," Hayato sighed, shrugging.

"By the way, Haya... I had this dream with twins... But they..." Akari blushed lightly at the thought of the black-haired boy.

_He was really cute... And I've seen him before... In that vision!! But wait, why was he with that girl instead of his 'other'?_

"They...erm..."

Her brother sighed heavily, pointing towards the sky.

"The future's an unclear thing, Akari. It could be something important..."

Akari smiled sadly.

_And the funny thing was... I couldn't control my actions or words; I was only feeling what the older brother was feeling... And that younger brother..._

Her blush deepened.

_I really, really liked him... Because I was seeing him through those eyes, I adored him..._

"Akari?"

"Oh? S-Sorry, Hayato, just having an epiphany..."

"Is that so?"

Akari looked off towards where her sisters left, sighing.

"Yeah... But Hinata-chan..."

_I don't know what these feelings are... For Hinata-chan or for him... How strange..._

"Akari...?"

"I-It's nothing..."

_I was really, really confused... But in the same way, it made me more appreciative of my little brother... But... I still wondered about Hinata-chan..._

"I wonder..."

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_So, I continued alone through Cress, my mind still spinning after what Akari-chan had said about me. Even though she didn't sound like she meant it, being that she was talking in her sleep, I know better. For once, Ghadius may have been right. It's my fault I dragged her into all of this crap... I have to find her and apologize for everything I've done to her. I just hope she's willing to forgive me..._

As Hinata continued to move through Cress, formulating a way to apologize to Akari, she had no idea that she was being watched from beyond.

_"She is definitely interesting."_

"Damn it... I REALLY screwed up, dragging Akari-chan into this mess..." Hinata stated to herself. "I just hope it's not too late for me to say I'm sorry..."

Hinata wiped a few tears away, only to notice a glow behind her.

"Lephise?"

Lephise just smiled.

"Why are you here?"

"Just wanted to check up on you," Lephise responded. "You seem down on yourself."

"You would be if someone you really liked said she hated you," Hinata stated dejectedly. "It's my fault all of this is happening..."

"This is not your fault, young angel of the winter," Lephise explained. "Fate is not always kind to those with extraordinary power."

"I know that, but it's my fault I even dragged Akari-chan into this whole mess!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "Just because I wanted to take my revenge on Ghadius for slaughtering our families!! That just isn't right..."

"Your mission is indeed honorable, young one," Lephise giggled. "And Ghadius, indeed, must be stopped at any cost."

"THEN WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!!" Hinata screamed. "I don't want to lose Akari-chan!!! And I'm sure she completely hates me now!!!"

Lephise just shook her head. "She has never even thought something like that, Hinata-chan."

Hinata perked up at that. "Are you serious?"

"I know more about Akari-chan than you or Hayato-kun would," Lephise stated quite cryptically.

"Troublemaker is right," Hinata teased. Lephise just giggled.

Just then, another massive rumbling shook the foundations of Cress.

"Another Phase has awakened," Lephise stated, looking quite troubled.

"Ghadius must still be pissed off that I wiped the floor with him," Hinata noted. "That thing's closing in on Akari-chan and our families, right?"

Lephise just nodded.

"All right, then, I'm off," Hinata proclaimed. "I'm just hoping that Akari-chan's still willing to forgive me..."

With that said, Hinata rushed off. Lephise just smiled.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Akari backed up to protect her sisters, light energy wrapping around her hands.

"What the heck is that?!" Yume exclaimed.

"Scary, scary..." Rei chattered.

"Hayato, which Phase is this?" Akari asked cautiously, not wanting to provoke the massive beast.

Hayato looked up at the Phase, which was a towering figure with blazing dark eyes covered in a magician's hood and carrying a massive magic staff. "Magus, the Propagation. He's a master magician, so you'd best be on your toes, Akari."

The light elemental just nodded, charging up her energy and firing it in the form of a concentrated beam that knocked Magus back a few feet.

Magus just smirked and spun his staff, chanting in an ancient dialect. This spell dropped a ton of lightning bolts around Akari and her family.

"Jeez, where's onee-chan when you need her?!" Miyu exclaimed.

Akari perked up at this. _That's right... Hinata-chan ran off somewhere. But why would she do that?_

Her train of thought was interrupted when Magus swung his staff at her, Akari just barely dodging in time.

"MISSED, YOU STUPID ROBE GUY!!!!" Yume couldn't help but taunt.

"I don't think you should provoke him, nee-chan," Rei responded.

"Why not?" Yume answered, "He's getting his behind whipped!!"

Almost as if reacting to Yume's statement, Magus slammed his staff down, trapping Akari under it.

"NEE-NEE!!!!" Yume and Rei exclaimed.

Akari tried to lift the gigantic staff that was trapping her, but even with her enhanced light energy, Magus was just too strong.

_This... is not good..._

"YOU GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF AKARI-CHAN!!!!"

Everyone present perked up at this.

Before anyone could wonder who had said that, Hinata came from out of nowhere and delivered a flying kick to Magus' face, making him stumble and allowing Akari to break free of the staff that was trapping her.

Hinata landed gracefully on the ground, facing down Magus.

"Now I don't care what Akari-chan's said about me," Hinata started. "But NO ONE does that to my friend and lives to brag about it!!!"

Hinata then raised her hands and began concentrating her elemental energies.

_"Snowstorm Blade!!!"_

At this call, Hinata's raised hands both turned into a pair of gigantic swords made completely of ice.

As the others watched in awe, Hinata charged forward, her gigantic blades surprisingly not weighing her down in the process, and slashed at Magus, doing quite a bit of damage.

"And now, for the _hissatsu-waza_," Hinata giggled, readying both of her immense blades and rushing forward.

Before Magus could react, Hinata jammed her left ice blade into Magus' stomach, then slicing upwards. Acting quickly, Hinata then jammed her right blade into Magus' stomach again, this time slicing downwards. This double attack effectively split Magus in half.

Once the Phase disintegrated, Hinata dispelled her ice blades.

"Good job, sis!!!" Miyu exclaimed. "You showed that little jerk what for!!"

Hinata smiled, turning her attention to Akari.

Akari didn't even have time to react as Hinata rushed up and threw her arms around the light elemental's neck, holding her close.

"Hinata-chan, what's..."

"Akari-chan, I'm so sorry!!!"

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

Akari simply blinked as Hinata apologized again, sniffling.

"I'm sorry... Akari-chan..."

The light elemental's eyes suddenly widened, finding herself in yet another vision, in a same position with that same black-haired boy...

_"I'm sorry, onii-chan... I'm sorry.... I'm so, so sorry..."_

_He frowned as he pulled his sobbing little brother close by his shoulders, comfortingly patting his head._

_"Come on Saiki-kun, you're just overreacting like you always do..."_

_"You're underreacting like you always do..." he retorted quietly, his voice cracking with a slight yelp. "You hate me...don't you?"_

_"You're my little brother, Sai... I couldn't hate you if I tried."_

_"Liar. Liar. Liar."_

_"I'm not lying..."_

_"Liar." There was a light whimper as he was met with blank, tear-filled coal-colored eyes. "You're not even trying to be safe, onii-chan."_

_And surprisingly enough, his older brother just smiled._

_"I guess, but it's not that I can't hate you, it's that I don't want to hate you."_

_"Is that a lie?"_

_His only response was simply patting his shoulder in comfort._

_"I wouldn't even bother since you know when someone's lying, Saiki-kun... Alright?"_

_"B-But... I..."_

_"That's enough. Just don't cry anymore, I don't like that..."_

_The black-haired boy sighed as he pressed himself closer into his brother's comforting embrace._

_"I'm glad you're here, onii...chan."_

Akari blinked again, snapping out of the vision, her eyelids lowering.

_Don't cry, alright...? Even if the rest of the world hates you, I won't... You're special to me... More than you'll ever know..._

"You probably hate me, right?" Hinata ruefully laughed, pulling back. "I know you'll deny it Akari-chan, so don't bother..."

"If you know I'll deny it, I won't bother."

"Huh?"

The snow elemental blinked, her eyes filling with tears all over again.

"Akari-chan..."

"I'll try not to lie and make you feel any worse," Akari muttered, blushing lightly. "But you are special to me, Hinata-chan."

"I heard you say it in your sleep though, Akari-chan..."

The light elemental sighed, her blush deepening.

_Yes... He could tell if he was lying... So it was hard to comfort him and be completely honest... Because he was afraid...of his own feelings..._

"Hinata-chan..."

I don't feel quite that strongly about Hinata-chan just yet, but... I...

"I don't want to hate you."

Hinata blushed darkly as Akari touched her cheek, smiling lightly.

_I want to be able to treasure her just as much._

"I want to like you, trust you...and be your friend..."

Akari blushed herself, sighing.

"I've always wondered what it would be like, meeting new people and making new friends, to fall in love normally with a wonderful guy..."

Hinata gulped at the last bit, sighing a bit.

"Or a girl...?"

"I could always go both ways, Hinata-chan. But it's just too early for that... We need to take care of Ghadius, right?"

"Actually..." the snow elemental pushed her away, smiling ruefully. "I'll take care of Ghadius. You get your sisters and Hayato-kun out of here... I'm not going to trouble you anymore, Akari-chan. I'll handle this on my own..."

"But Hinata-chan..."

_Don't go... I don't want that person to go away and leave me..._

Akari shook her head, blushing heavily.

"You can't do that. You're not strong enough to."

Hinata perked up in surprise.

"Akari...chan?"

"Y-You can't leave me, Hinata-chan, you won't... You felt it too, didn't you? This elemental connection..."

Akari's voice shook, and she shuddered a bit, her eyes shut tightly as her fists clenched.

"You don't want to go, you can't go, and even if you do, you'll come back... You're not that strong, Hinata-chan..."

...and you know it...

"Look Akari-chan, it's for your own good and..."

"Don't act like it's all about me!! You have NO idea just how much that pisses me off!!"

Hinata backed away in surprise at the outburst, and Akari's fists tightened anymore as her ruby red eyes slowly opened, looking blank and empty.

"Don't act like you don't matter in this world... Don't believe them... They don't know...just how special you are...to me..."

_Them?_

The snow elemental blinked and couldn't help but blush, gulping.

"A-Akari-chan..."

What's wrong with her?

"Don't believe them... Don't believe the legends..."

She shook her head, almost desperate.

"Just believe in me, only in me!! Seeing you destroy yourself like this, it's tearing me apart!! Why can't you trust me...? What did I do wrong? I'm begging you... Please trust me... Sai..."

Akari suddenly snapped up as soon as that name escaped her lips, covering her mouth in horror.

"H-Hinata-chaaaan..."

"Akari-chan...?"

"Forget it!!" the light elemental escaped, bolting off into the woods, shocking Hinata.

"Akari-chan, wait!! Akari-chan!!"

"NEE-NEE!!!" the twins wailed, shocked.

"What just happened?" Miyu wondered, a little confused.

Hayato simply bit his lip.

Akari...

"Akari-chan," Hinata muttered, confused and hurt. "What did I do wrong?"

"It wasn't your fault; she was just seeing someone else special to her from her relative's eyes." Hayato sighed, shrugging. "She got confused on whose heart she held."

"Heart?"

"It's hard to explain."

Hinata soon shut her eyes and shook her head, rushing after the light elemental.

"Akari-chan!! WAIT!!! AKARI-CHAN!!!"

"Onee-chan, stop running off!!" Miyu yelled as she ran after her sister, groaning.

"Let's go, Rei," Yume stated, and her sister nodded.

"Right."

They soon ran after Miyu as well, gripping each other's hands ever so tightly.

Hayato blinked, folding his arms.

"I swear..."

_These people... Don't they understand anything? The bond between elementals..._

He bit his lip, gulping.

_Akari... Light elementals always have it hardest..._

"Maybe I should go after them as well," Hayato sighed, walking after where the other girls ran off to, his arms tightening.

_Lephise, I wonder how much you're hiding..._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_That didn't go too well... I try to apologize to Akari-chan for dragging her into all of this, and then things just get even weirder. I'm glad Akari-chan doesn't really hate me, but all this cryptic talk is starting to weird me out. Kinda makes me wonder what ELSE that Lephise girl is hiding from us..._

"**This is not going so well."**

"I can see that, Master."

"**Fidchell the Prophet, you and Corbenik the Rebirth are the last of the six Phases. You must destroy the two elementals."**

"If I may ask, Master... what of Skeith, the Terror?"

"**He will not obey, so I have sealed him away."**

"You do understand that if Corbenik and I are defeated, Skeith's seal shall be broken?"

"**I am prepared for if it comes to that. You two just go and take care of the elementals so Skeith will not have a reason to rebel against me anymore."**

"Understood, Master Ghadius."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"AKARI-CHAN, WAIT!!!!" Hinata exclaimed, hoping she'd catch up to Akari before something came along and ruined the moment. She knew that Ghadius had a propensity for showing up at the worst possible times.

Before Akari could turn around and answer, she had to dodge a swipe from a massive staff.

Hinata groaned in annoyance. "Can't you freaks leave us alone?! Akari-chan and I are trying to sort out some personal issues here!!!"

"Not while Master Ghadius commands me to eliminate you accursed brats," Fidchell stated, bringing his staff into a fighting position.

"That just about DOES IT!!!!" Hinata exclaimed, her entire body beginning to glow with a bright blue light. "Akari-chan and I just want to have a moment, but do you ALWAYS have to interrupt?!"

Similar to how Akari had transformed when fighting Zero Two, droves of blue energy formed into a pair of angel wings coming from Hinata's back. Only this time, once the wings formed, they both completely froze.

Akari just stared in awe. "Fuyu no Tenshi..." she gasped, addressing Hinata's new form.

"Precisely," Hinata giggled. "You'll pay for ruining moments, you stupid staff boy!!!"

Hinata wasted no time in gathering energy into both of her fists, which eventually formed into two spheres that she joined together.

"Now freeze," Hinata taunted as she released the energy she'd collected in the form of a massive blizzard that slashed mercilessly at Fidchell, rather easily knocking him down.

"Now for the finisher!!!" Hinata exclaimed, leaping into the air and flapping her icy wings.

Hinata's entire body began glowing brightly, and Akari couldn't help but blush at how luminescent Hinata looked.

Hinata wasted no time in flying downwards and aiming at Fidchell's face.

_"Frozen Stalactite Devastator!!!"_

Responding to Hinata's command, a massive frozen stalactite erupted from Hinata's open palms and impaled Fidchell in the face. The fifth phase disintegrated not a second later because of the immense damage.

"Two more left... or is it one?" Hinata asked, getting herself a little confused.

Quickly shaking it off, Hinata descended, landing in front of Akari and dispelling her wings.

"You okay?" Hinata asked.

"I should be," Akari responded, taking Hinata's hands so the snow elemental could pull her up. "Thanks for protecting me."

"As always," Hinata teased. "But, there's something I need to ask: why did you run off before? I didn't make you angry again, did I?"

Akari just shook her head. "It's not that, Hinata-chan. I just... I got freaked out back there..."

"Akari-chan, believe me, I've been acting a little freaky since this mess started myself..." Hinata admitted.

The snow elemental placed her hands on Akari's shoulders. "But... is there something you want to say to me?"

"Um... I... anou..."

Hinata giggled at the impossibly cute sight. "It's okay, Akari-chan. You can tell me if you want to. I promise I won't laugh at you."

After about a minute of internal debating, Akari decided to just bite the bullet and go for it.

Akari looked up at Hinata and spoke a Hawaiian phrase that really touched Hinata's heart.

"Hinata-chan... _Aloha au ia'oe ku'uipo_." (Translation: "I love you, my sweetheart")

Hinata's smile doubled as she hugged Akari. "There, now was that so hard?"

Akari shook her head, returning the hug.

"I guess not... but I'm surprised that I fell in love with you so quickly, Hinata-chan..."

"Hayato-kun said something about elemental connections..." Hinata wondered. "Something about the bond two close elementals share..."

_Akari perked up at that. Like... like those two brothers in that vision I had..._

"The bond we share because of our linked abilities is probably why that love developed so fast, but I think I fell in love with you on my own accords," Hinata stated. "There was just something about you that I couldn't resist, Akari-chan. There was also, I think, a sense of protection. I already knew from that fateful encounter that Ghadius was after you, and after what he'd already done to both of our families, no way in hell was I going to let that little bastard mess around with us."

Akari nodded. "I always felt so safe whenever I was around you, Hinata-chan... I noticed that I was developing the same feelings you had for me, but I kept telling myself not to fall in love... not after what had happened in my life..."

"It's okay to fall in love, Akari-chan, even if it's with another girl," Hinata stated. "Love is such a wonderful thing."

"And, for what's it's worth..."

Hinata leaned forward to plant a kiss on Akari's lips for a split second.

When she pulled back...

"I love you, too, Akari-chan."

Akari just smiled back, cuddling into Hinata's chest.

"ONEE-CHAN!!!!"

"NEE-NEE!!!"

Just then, Yume, Rei, Hayato, and Miyu rushed up, still worried about the two elementals.

"Judging by the fact that you two are cuddling each other, I'm going to assume you're okay?" Hayato asked, smiling.

"Right as rain, Hayato-kun!!" Hinata giggled. "Our problems are solved!!"

No sooner had Hinata said that than another rumbling shook the very foundations of the area.

Akari clung tightly to Hinata, trying to ready herself for what was about to happen.

"So you are the ones."

Hinata and Akari looked behind them and noticed another Phase standing there. He wasn't as large as some of the recent Phases, only about halfway taller than Hinata was. He had long, brown hair, red eyes, was wearing warrior's armor, and carrying a much more elaborate staff than what Fidchell had carried.

"I assume you're the last of the Phases?" Hinata wondered.

"Indeed," Corbenik responded. "Skeith is actually the final phase, but his unruly behavior forced Ghadius to seal him away, so you will not have to worry about him for a while."

"What?" Hinata asked, a little confused.

"Never you mind," Corbenik shot back, readying his staff. "I am Corbenik, the Rebirth. If you wish to fight Master Ghadius, you must defeat me first. I shall have at you."

"If you think you're ready for us," Hinata challenged, rocketing to her feet.

Akari's hand wove into Hinata's, their fingers clasping around each other's.

"Hinata-chan, from here on out, whatever trouble we get into, we face it together, okay?" Akari stated.

Hinata tightened her hold on Akari's hand, showing she approved. "Yeah. Together from here to the very bitter end."

Miyu couldn't help but giggle at that. "That's my onee-chan, all right. Always with a flair for the dramatic..."

Hinata and Akari stood side-by-side, ready to fight Corbenik.

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_Before I knew it, we were up against the final phase or so he said... I was scared, but for some reason, there was a part of my heart that was excited, like I couldn't wait for him to charge..._

"Ready, Akari-chan?"

"Right."

_I don't understand these feelings... But I'm not going to back down no matter what!!_

She gulped, her hand tightening around Hinata's.

_Not with Hinata-chan by my side like this..._

"So Skeith was sealed, that's odd..." Hayato began pondering, his arms folding. "It also doesn't sound right."

"Right?" Yume asked while Rei stood up, her frown firm.

"What do you mean by that, Hayato?"

"I mean it sounds awfully suspicious..."

"And why wouldn't it? I highly doubt it's ever that easy..." Miyu groaned, slumping a bit.

"What would you expect anyway?"

"That's a little hard to say..." the younger boy groaned. "But for some reason... I can't help but worry..."

"What do you expect?" Yume and Rei stated at the same time, their eyes narrowed before their hands clasped.

Hayato simply stared at his two twin sisters, biting his lip.

_Yes... They may say that I could be a little paranoid... But still..._

He gulping, fingering his throat.

_This body of mine... It's so useless that I hate it... Couldn't I have been born earlier? Darn it..._

Hayato shook his head, his eyes shut tightly.

_But Akari... It's different... I've never grown a bond to someone biologically related to me other than Lephise... Even those two twins... Those troublesome, troublesome twins..._

His fists tightened, and he bit his lip.

_I wasn't even all that fond of our parents... I respected them, but... The way they acted about me... They were almost proud..._

_"So you appeared so that you could protect Akari-chan, huh Hayato?"_

_Hayato blinked once, his normally childish features holding a deep thoughtful expression that would match better on an adult than a kid._

_"Of course... Why wouldn't I?"_

_"Imagine, my son..." Haruna gasped, her hand curling tighter around her husband's._

_"But...how can we be sure?" Kyon asked, looking a little uneasy. "If you really are..."_

_"Yes, it's me." Hayato groaned, waving his hand. "And I have to say, Akari-nee-chan better be protected..."_

_"So... Ghadius..."_

_"I'm afraid so, but this isn't the time for that..." he groaned, folding his arms. "You see..."_

_"Hayato..." his mother began, frowning deeply. "When did you realize...? Who you were?"_

_"Questions, questions, okaa-san." Her son sighed, shaking his head. "If only I had the time to answer..."_

_"Hayato..."_

_Kyon grimaced, worrying his wife a bit._

_"Kyon..."_

_Haruna gently touched his cheek, making him calm down a bit. "No worries, alright Kyon?"_

_"Haruna..."_

_Hayato's eyelids lowered at the sight, a sigh escaping his lips._

_"I'm still...a little uncertain..."_

_...and with good reason, of course._

Hayato bit harder on his lip at the memory, his eyes glimmering.

_Akari... I've never cared this much for someone before... But watching her grow up... She really has changed, thanks to Hinata-chan and those two..._

He smiled, shaking his head.

_It's like Lephise said... She's so remarkably different than other light-using elementals..._

Hayato casted a glance towards his oldest sister, his smile widening.

_She's special..._

"Hinata-chan, we have to be careful..." Akari stated, to which Hinata nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

"Hinata-chan, I'm being serious!!"

"Don't worry, I'll protect you, alright Akari-chan?"

The light elemental flushed red at that, surprised.

"H-Hinata-chan..."

Corbenik smirked, his staff emitting some sort of dark energy, making Akari's eyes widen in pure horror.

No...

"You think we're afraid of that?!" Hinata shot back, growling. "Come on Akari-chan, let's just make this nice and quick..."

She snapped up, confused at the sight of her friend, with her eyes wide like a frightening rabbit and she shivered, her teeth grinding against each other.

"Akari...chan?"

"N-No...don't..." Akari shut her mind, letting another vision overtake her mind. "Don't do it!!"

_"**AKARI-CHAN**!!"_

_Akari shivered, her entire body covered in bruises while her clothes looked terribly ripped._

_"H-Hinata-chan... Are you okay?" she asked, her voice cracked with tears._

_"Akari-chan, you shouldn't of done that!!" Hinata yelled, all too worry for her friend's shape. "Look at you!!"_

_"Hinata-chan..." Akari started before turning to Saiki's expressionless face._

_"S-Saiki-kun... I always looked up to you... Please, wake up."_

_She shut her eyes tightly._

_"I don't want to be forced to fight!! We're the **same** aren't we?!"_

_Saiki said nothing but waved his hand, unleashing yet another shockwave that knocked Akari to the wall, making her fall down to the ground, shaking with pain._

_"Akari-chan!! Ooh, you've really gone too far!!" Hinata exclaimed, raising her hands. "I don't care who you are, NO ONE hurts Akari-chan like that while I'm around!!"_

_Akari's eyes glimmered. "H-Hinata-chan... no..."_

_"**Don't you dare**!!"_

"Akari-chan, snap out of it!!" Hinata exclaimed as she shook Akari by the shoulders, making the light elemental perk up in surprise.

"Hinata..." her eyes regain their shine, glimmering in recognition. "...chan..."

"Don't scare me like that," her friend groaned, earning a confused blink. "What just happened?"

"I don't..."

Blink.

"I don't really know."

Akari shook her head, quickly smiling.

_Ah..._

"Just a weird vision is all, ha-ha... I've been having so many of them lately and they all..."

_And they all include him... That black-haired boy... What did his older brother call him? Sai? No, no... That was just a nickname, his name was..._

Her eyes fluttered shut, a sigh escaping her lips as she lightly blushed.

_Saiki... Saiki-kun... He's like me... He's like my own onii-san..._

She felt her cheeks, almost surprised.

_He's special... He's precious... I want...to meet him...soon..._

"Akari-chan?" Hinata wondered, making Akari flush an even deeper shade of red, almost smoking.

"S-Sorry!!"

_Waaaahh~! I shouldn't be daydreaming over him now!! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!_

"You know, you might as well give up," Corbenik proclaimed. "Your powers are no match..."

"Dream on!!" Hinata exclaimed, completely unaware that Akari had started swaying. "Let's go, Akari-chan!!"

"I... I can't... His staff, Hinata-chan..."

_It's siphoning...my power... What's going on?_

"His staff?" the snow elemental perked up at the sight of the dark aura that was still around the staff. "I see..."

Akari frowned. "Hinata-chan, I'm..."

_...?!_

Her eyes suddenly jolted wide and she fell forward, collapsed, shocking the heck out of Hinata.

"AKARI-CHAN, WHAT THE HELL?!"

_What did he do?!_

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_Corbenik doesn't even realize it, but he just made a BIG mistake messing with Akari-chan like that!! However, once I took care of him, I soon found out that we had an even bigger problem on our hands: Ghadius had escaped back to Earth. No way was I going to let him mess with the place I grew up in!!!_

Hinata spun back around to face Corbenik, anger lighting her features.

"You just made a BIG MISTAKE, dark boy!!!" Hinata screamed.

"Such useless words, elemental," Corbenik stated, only to be cut off when Hinata leaped up and punched him in the face.

"Wow!! She SLUGGED him!!!" Miyu giggled.

Once Corbenik regained his posture, he swung his staff at Hinata, only to be quite surprised when she easily caught it, her whole body glowing a bright frost-blue.

"Anyone who hurts Akari-chan... has to go through me!!!" Hinata exclaimed, transforming into the Fuyu no Tenshi and charging for Corbenik.

"That can be arranged," Corbenik growled, readying his staff.

Hinata easily dodged a swipe from the staff and slammed her palm into Corbenik's chest.

"You're done."

As blue energy erupted from Corbenik, he gave off a faint hint of a smile.

"What power..."

And just like that, Corbenik disintegrated. Hinata smiled before flying back down to Akari.

"You okay, silly?" Hinata giggled, holding her hands over Akari's limp form and concentrating.

Almost instantly, Akari began glowing brightly, and within seconds, she had regained consciousness.

"Feeling better?" Hinata asked.

"As long as you're with me," Akari stated.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at that.

"I love you, Hinata-chan."

"I love you, too, Akari-chan."

But before the two elementals could share a kiss, Ghadius appeared, his hands glowing with dark energy.

"What have you got to show, Ghadius?" Hinata taunted, sticking her tongue out at Ghadius. "All of your Phase lackeys are gone now, and there's no one left to protect you!!"

"**You underestimate me, young elemental. I have not even begun to show my full power."**

And with that, Ghadius flashed a bright purple, then disappeared.

"HEY, GET BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!!!!" Yume exclaimed.

Before Rei could comment to that, Lephise had appeared in front of the party.

"Everyone, you must hurry!!" Lephise exclaimed, looking quite worried. "Ghadius has escaped to Earth!!"

"What, exactly, is he intending to do?" Hayato wondered.

"SHIMATTA!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "He's trying to destroy the city!!!"

"WHAT?!" Miyu responded. "We can't let him destroy the place we grew up in!! We've gotta go stop him!!!"

Hinata shook her head. "Actually, I think it should just be me and Akari-chan for this one. I can't lose you, Miyu-chan, not after we lost our parents."

Hinata turned towards Hayato, who was now wearing his Cress uniform. "Hayato-kun, can you watch over our sisters for us? Akari-chan and I have some business to take care of."

"Please be careful down there, nee-nee," Yume stated.

"Don't worry, I will," Akari responded, hugging her sisters.

"We'll come back to Cress to pick you guys up when Ghadius is swiss cheese," Hinata responded. "So keep your eyes on them, okay, Hayato-kun?"

Hayato just nodded.

Wasting no time, Hinata transformed into the Fuyu no Tenshi, and Akari transformed into the Natsu no Tenshi.

"We'll see you guys in a flash," Hinata giggled before she and Akari disappeared.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

However, once Hinata and Akari reappeared in Okinawa, there was total chaos, including quite a bit of destruction and people running like total maniacs.

"I'm going to guess that Ghadius got here before we did," Hinata quipped.

"Hinata-chan, up there!!!" Akari exclaimed, tugging on Hinata's sleeve and pointing skyward, where the massive form of Ghadius could be seen towering over the city.

"**Well, well. I've been waiting for you little brats."**

"Stuff it, Ghadius," Hinata shot back. "You're not running away anymore. All your Phase lackeys are gone, so it's just you and us."

"**If you can catch me."**

And Ghadius started trudging through the chaos-filled streets of Okinawa.

"HEY, STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM US!!!!" Hinata screamed, only for Akari to lean over and peck her on the cheek, effectively calming the snow elemental down.

"Let's go chase him, okay?" Akari giggled.

"Truer words," Hinata responded.

And so, the two elementals flapped their angel wings and flew off in pursuit of Ghadius.

"I can't see a weak point on that cloak of his... last time I fought him, the cloak WAS the weak point..." Hinata wondered, searching for a spot they could attack.

"Hey, what about those?" Akari asked, pointing towards what appeared to be pink jewels scattered across Ghadius' immense form.

"Great idea, Akari-chan!!" Hinata giggled, firing blasts of frost-blue energy for one of the jewels, causing it to shatter on impact.

Ghadius jerked forward in agony when the jewel shattered, making Hinata and Akari realize that they had done something right.

Hinata and Akari continued to dodge blasts of dark energy that Ghadius was lobbing at them as they continued to destroy the jewels that were apparently keeping Ghadius in his giant form.

Before long, the two elementals had managed to shoot out all the jewels on Ghadius' cloak, forcing the dark being to return to the size he was when Hinata had fought him on Cress.

"**Not bad, elementals. But this is where I shall take my leave."**

"HELL NO, GHADIUS!!!" Hinata exclaimed, blue energy surrounding her hands. "I've had enough of you, so there's no way you're leaving Okinawa alive!!!"

"**To the end it is, then, huh? Where shall we have our final duel, then?"**

"Meet us on the top of the highest building in Okinawa," Hinata stated. "We'll settle this there."

Ghadius phased out, heading for the building that Hinata had stated.

"Let's go put an end to this, okay, Akari-chan?" Hinata stated.

Akari nodded, weaving her hands with Hinata's. "Music to my ears."

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"It's almost time, isn't it you two? You understand, right?"

"Yes, nii-nii..."

"What are you three talking about?" Miyu asked, a bit confused.

"It's nothing," came the chorus response of the twins as one of them let out a sigh, and judging by the voice, it was probably Rei.

"Yume, I don't wanna leave nee-nee..."

"You and me both, Rei," Yume sighed as well, instinctively reaching out to grasp her younger twin's hand, biting her lip.

_Nee-nee..._

"We had such nice memories together..." Rei continued as she grasped her elder twin's sleeve, pulling herself close to bury her face into Yume's neck, seeking out warmth and comfort. "Such nice...memories..."

_Our nee-nee..._

Yume nodded, her frown deepening.

_So many memories..._

"All those tricks, like dumping cold water onto her, those punishment games, tricking her into doing all our chores, faking tears just to make her pity us and go our way..."

_So many fun, fun memories..._

Miyu blinked once, a sweatdrop forming. "And they consider these memories the happiest?"

_That poor girl._

The two twins suddenly paused, and their hands tightened around the other's.

"But...you know what, Rei?"

"Yume...?"

Yume smiled softly, recalling one special memory...

"Nee-nee never..."

"Aren't you mad, nee-nee?"

The elder twin girl was pretty confused as her older sister continued picking up the shattered glass, being extra careful to not cut her finger by accident.

Rei beside her, was sniffling because of the bandage Akari had applied to her injured knee earlier, and the younger twin was clinging desperately towards Yume for comfort, though her mirror's attention was stuck on their oldest sister.

"Nee-nee..."

"It was a mistake," Akari sighed, though she was groaning, and her voice was strained. "Just a mistake..."

Yume cringed, just waiting for her to snap.

"Um... Nee-nee...?"

Akari turned to her with a serene smile, making her sibling's eyes jolt wide.

"It's okay. Really. Don't worry about it, Yume."

Yume's eyes tore up and filled with tears, taking Rei by surprise.

"Y-Yume?"

She separated from her twin, allowing her to rush up and embrace Akari, knocking her down to her back.

"Yume!! What's going...?"

"I'm sorry!!" she sobbed, clutching tighter against her sister, whimpering a bit. "I-I'll never do it again, not if Rei's going to get hurt, and not if you're not going to get mad..."

Rei blushed at that, a little touched.

"Yume..."

Akari simply blinked but returned the hug, smiling all the while.

"Nee-nee..."

"It's alright. There, there, Yume-chan. It's okay, it's alright..."

Yume sniffled.

"I love you, nee-nee."

"She never once got mad." Yume smiled ruefully. "After all those jokes and tricks, she never got mad."

"She only got mad when she found out," Rei sniffled, already fighting off a few tears. "Nee-nee hating us... I hate that feeling, Yume..."

"I do as well, Rei, but..." Yume bit her lip, her eyes glistening a bit. "Letting go of nee-nee..."

"I don't wanna do it."

"I don't either..."

"Haya, do we really have to do it?" Rei asked her younger brother, making him flinch a bit.

Her sister frowned at that.

_Hey..._

"Rei..."

"Haya, say something," the younger twin pleaded, desperate. "Please..."

"What are you talking about?" Miyu asked. "Leaving Akari-chan?"

"Miyu-san, you need to know that none of us will be by our sisters' side in the future," Hayato murmured, his eyes hazy. "So we need to say good-bye to them when they return."

"Good-bye?! But... But why?"

"It's...a little hard to explain."

"I don't care, Hayato-kun! JUST TELL ME WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN ME AND MY SISTER!!!"

Hayato grimaced as Miyu stood her guard, definitely not going to back down by any means necessary.

"Tell me, Hayato-kun."

The younger boy simply blinked as he noticed a drop of sweat run down Miyu's cheek, catching his attention.

_Ah, she's nervous._

"If you must know, Miyu-san, in a way, it's all very simple..."

Miyu gulped and nodded to signal for him to continue.

"Haya..." Yume and Rei began, their voices both wary. "You don't really have to..."

"That's quite enough," their brother stated firmly, groaning a bit. "I'm going to answer, even if it's not good."

This took Miyu by surprise, and she snapped up, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." he took a deep breath, and said the next words that made Miyu beyond certain her heart stopped.

"This life of mine has just about reached its end, and it's the same with all of us. We are going to die soon, Miyu-san, and there's no possible way of avoiding it."

Miyu was only aware of the pounding and buzzing in her ears as she turned towards the twins, who were clinging and holding each other close in desperation.

_No..._

Hinata's grin flashed in her mind.

_Sis..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_The final battle... My heart's racing, yet I'm not scared... I suppose in a way, I'm a little frightened, but with Hinata-chan by my side!!_

Akari was taken off guard as she dodged a spiraling beam, Hinata pulling her close.

"Whoa, careful there, Akari-chan."

"Thanks..."

_I need to focus, pay attention... I can't let her down!!_

"Are you really ready, Akari-chan? Cause if you want, you can turn back and leave me to fight Ghadius by myself..."

"Do you honestly expect me to leave you, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata frowned at that but quickly smiling, pecking the top of the light elemental's head, breathing in the fragrance from her hair.

_So nice..._

"Thank you, Akari-chan."

Akari blushed and smiled a bit, sighing.

"It's nothing, Hinata-chan."

_I'm ready... I'm scared, but I won't back down, and I certainly won't give up... This feels familiar, and like déjà vu..._

They made their way to the building, staring up at the swirl of dark clouds that were already about to form.

"Here we are..."

"Y-Yes..."

"No turning back from here on out, is that alright?"

"Yes..."

"Alright then, let's get going."

"Right."

Akari casted one quick prayer, her thoughts drifting to the younger twin from her vision.

_Although we haven't met yet, please cheer me on, alright? Saiki-kun..._

"Akari-chan?"

"It's nothing. Let's just go."

"Alright."

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

"**Behold, the face of your demise."**

An imposing, yet admittedly impressive sight greeted Hinata and Akari when they reached the top of the tallest building in Okinawa: Ghadius had transformed into an even more gigantic version than he had before, and his headpiece was now adorned by all manner of dark jewels. His cloak was vibrating with dark energy.

"**I've been waiting so long for this, little elementals."**

"Right back at you, you little son of a bitch," Hinata growled. "You're going to pay for slaughtering our parents."

"**If you're going to avenge your family, you'd better do it quick. Because I sense the life force of the rest of your family dropping very quickly."**

"WHAT?!!" Hinata exclaimed. "What did you say?! Is this another curse of yours?!"

"**Nothing of mine. It is simply their destiny to die."**

"SHUT UP!!!!" Hinata shot back. "I'm not in the mood for your lies!!!"

Suddenly, Akari convulsed, causing Hinata to look at the light elemental in concern.

"Hinata-chan... you may find this hard to believe, but Ghadius may be telling the truth..." Akari stated. "I can actually FEEL their life force... and it's draining quickly... we'd better defeat Ghadius before it's too late..."

Hinata nodded, crossing her arms in concentration as Akari did the same.

Before long, Hinata had transformed into the Fuyu no Tenshi, and Akari had transformed into the Natsu no Tenshi, both super-powered elementals ready to finish off Ghadius once and for all.

"Bring it on, freak show," Hinata challenged.

**("Katayoku no Tori" by Akiko Shikata plays)**

Ghadius responded to this by raising his non-existent hands into the air and creating a sphere of energy. After a couple seconds, Ghadius shot it into the darkened sky, and this caused lightning bolts to drop from the sky all around the building Hinata and Akari were using for the battlefield.

The two elementals nimbly dodged the lightning bolts, trying to find the perfect opportunity to strike back at Ghadius, but they couldn't seem to find a vulnerability in Ghadius' attack pattern.

"You see anything, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked, dodging yet another lightning bolt.

Akari just shook her head, creating a quick light shield that protected her from another bolt.

"**Foolish girls. Why not just go quickly to your death?"**

With that, Ghadius raised his hands again, this time creating an energy sphere similar to the yellow teleport crystals that had appeared when Hinata fought Ghadius back on Cress.

"**Now take this."**

Ghadius hurled the yellow sphere at the elementals, but Hinata made it a point to quickly knock the sphere into the air with a rising kick. She followed this up with a spinning kick that sent the sphere back to Ghadius.

The instant the sphere made contact with Ghadius' cloak, it electrocuted the dark being, stunning Ghadius and causing him to bow forward so that his headpiece was exposed.

"You ready, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked, to which Akari just nodded.

The two elementals flapped their angel wings and flew over to the headpiece.

"NOW!!!!" Hinata screamed, both elementals preparing their attacks.

_"Blizzard's Claw Devastator!!!"_

_"Sun's Crusher Devastator!!!"_

The massive area-effect attacks slashed mercilessly at Ghadius, removing two of the ten dark jewels on Ghadius' headpiece.

"Ah... I think there's our life meter!!" Hinata giggled.

"Huh?" Akari asked, tilting her head to the side in an impossibly cute way that made Hinata blush like mad.

"Those jewels on his forehead break when we do enough damage to him," Hinata explained. "Once all the jewels are gone, we can move in for the kill!!!"

"Got it," Akari responded.

Not wasting any time, Hinata and Akari readied themselves for Ghadius' next move.

"**Impressive, brats. But you will not survive."**

Ghadius levitated to the other side of the building and extended extremely long laser blades from his hands and prepared to sweep the roof with them.

Hinata and Akari made it a point to leap over the lasers on each pass.

"Why do I feel like Crash Bandicoot all of a sudden?" Hinata wondered as she and Akari continued to jump the lasers.

"It's probably more instinct than anything," Akari responded. "I feel like Mario for some reason."

"**You would dare ignore me?"**

Ghadius formed another yellow energy sphere and launched it.

Hinata just grinned and kicked it back. She sure wasn't expecting Ghadius to deflect it back at her.

"What the hell?!" Hinata exclaimed, kicking the sphere back and stunning Ghadius.

"Jeez, don't pull those tricks on me, you freak!!!" Hinata shot back, flying over to Ghadius.

_"Snowstorm Blade!!!"_

The massive stalactite erupted from Hinata's hands and impaled Ghadius in the face, shattering another three of the jewels.

"**ARGH. You are starting to vex me."**

Hinata just stuck her tongue out at Ghadius.

Just then, the sky turned even darker (if that was even possible), and something else emerged from the skies.

When the something emerged, Hinata finally got a good look at the monstrosity. It was about human-sized, but it looked like it had jumped straight from Frankenstein's lab, with numerous different arm and leg parts, and a staff was attached to his back.

Ghadius seemed to relax considerably at this new arrival's appearance.

"**Skeith, the Terror. So, you have learned the error of your treacherous ways?"**

"I just took some time to think things over," Skeith responded. "And I realize now that these elementals are far too powerful for me to defeat alone."

"**Very well, then. How about we defeat these brats together?"**

"You know I'm all for it," Skeith responded, readying his staff.

"Ooh, boy... we could be in trouble..." Hinata noted. "That Skeith guy is so much stronger than Ghadius is. I can sense it..."

But just then...

_"Soul Drain!!!"_

Hinata and Akari prepared themselves for the worst... but then discovered that this specific attack was aimed at Ghadius, in which Skeith held his staff forward and shot a series of beams through Ghadius' heart, whatever his heart was.

Ghadius stumbled forward, the final five jewels on his headpiece all shattering instantly.

"**Skeith... you would dare betray me AGAIN?!"**

"Sorry, Ghadius," Skeith chuckled. "But I have my own plans for this pitiful world, and you're not part of them."

Skeith then turned towards Hinata and Akari. "You two can go ahead and finish this dark boy off. I really have no purpose for him anymore. But know that I will eventually be coming after you."

And with that, Skeith disappeared.

Hinata and Akari just shrugged their shoulders before aiming at Ghadius.

"Eat this, dark boy!! Together, Akari-chan!!"

"Right, Hinata-chan!!"

Both Hinata and Akari began glowing with a silver light.

_"PURIFICATION!!!!"_

With that call, a massive silver light erupted from Hinata and Akari's hands and struck the crippled Ghadius, causing him to start disintegrating.

"**No... beaten by a couple of BRATS..."**

And Ghadius evaporated after that.

"It's done," Hinata stated.

"There's no time, Hinata-chan!!!" Akari exclaimed, latching onto Hinata's arm. "I can still feel our family's life force fading!!! I don't want my siblings to die!!! We've gotta get back to Cress yesterday!!!"

"Right!! Let's go!!" Hinata exclaimed, the two elementals flapping the angel wings that signified their powered forms and flying back towards Cress.

_Okay, now things get really weird. At the climax of our final battle with Ghadius, someone named Skeith the Terror, who was the real last of his Phases, shows up and skewers Ghadius enough for us to finish him off. I have a feeling we'll be seeing Skeith again, but that's not important right now. If what Akari-chan said is true, we've got to hurry back to Cress. I don't want what's left of my family to die..._


	3. Act 3: On Thursday We Leave For Home

Act 3: On Thursday We Leave For Home

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_In truth... I still remember when the twins and Hayato were first born into my life, it was truly amazing... Although they caused me so much trouble, I never wanted anything bad to happen to them..._

Akari shut her eyes tig_htly._

_I already almost lost Rei once, but Yume and Haya too?! I..._

_"But that's why we love playing with you~!"_

_"Maybe we just let them figure it out... I love nee-nee, and this should help her in the long run, right Rei?"_

_"If this were for the better good of nee-chan's sake... I'd happily comply... but..."_

_"WE LOVE NEE-NEE!!!"_

_"You need a hug to see that we're telling the truth?"_

_"You really are something, huh nee-chan? I think you're the only thing I'll miss about this life..."_

_"I didn't want to force her through it. I love Akari-nee-chan with all my heart, but Lephise is also like a sister to me,"_

_"Akari-nee-chan, I may not be your real brother, but I'm still your brother, okay?"_

_"So you're okay now, so we're happy!"_

_"Isn't that great, nee-nee?"_

_"Because we were more worried about you,"_

_Hayato... Rei... Yume... Please..._

A few tears escaped Akari's eyes.

_Please be alright!!_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Is it happening already, Yume?"

"It is, Rei..."

"I'm scared, Yume."

"I am too, but we'll get through this... Just like we always have..."

_Just like we always will._

Miyu flinched as she held her head, moaning.

"It hurts... It really hurts... Hayato-kun, why didn't you say earlier that we were dying?"

"Because I didn't want to scare Akari..." Hayato murmured quietly, crossing his legs and waiting patiently for the end to come. "I didn't want to hurt her..."

"It's even worse that she'll find out like this though, Hayato-kun."

"I know."

"Hayato-kun..." Miyu blushed lightly, glancing at the two surprisingly quiet twins, who were just holding tightly onto each other's hand, pulling themselves close so that if they'd disappear, they'd disappear together.

_Those two... I never thought I'd see it, but... But!!_

"But why is this happening, Hayato-kun?!" she demanded before wincing, that throbbing in her head getting worse as she felt something constrict her heart, biding it painfully. "D-Darn it..."

"It's this place... It's a defense mechanism... In order to protect this place, there was a curse installed within, and when we first entered, we stepped on that curse."

Miyu opened her mouth but yelped, clutching tighter to her head.

"A-A curse, Hayato-kun? But you're one of them, aren't you? Hayato-kun?"

Silence.

"Hayato-kun...?"

"I am...not, Miyu-san. This body is not one with this place, so I'm not free from the curse..."

He frowned, laughing a bit ruefully.

"This is all Lephise's fault..."

"Lephise?" Miyu wondered before her head began throbbing again, earning a shudder. "H-Hayato-kun..."

"We're sorry, Miyu-san," Yume and Rei spoke quietly in synch, their hands tightening around the other. "We're really, really sorry to nee-nee, too."

_Nee-nee..._

_"You two can be such troublemakers..."_

_Are you angry at us right now?_

_"You... you all lied to me?"_

_...Like you were then? We don't want that..._

_"You two..."_

_We want nee-nee happy. Always._

Before the younger twin was aware of it, tears were filling up her eyes and she choked back a sob, pressing herself closer to her older twin.

"Rei..."

Yume pecked Rei's cheek before pulling her close, gripping almost painfully on her slim shoulders.

_Rei... Rei... Rei..._

"YUME, WAIT!!!"

_Nee-nee!!_

Yume's eyes widened in horror.

_Nee-nee..._

Miyu collapsed, moaning.

"Hinata... You're such a stupid big sis... I'm... sorry..."

Hayato blinked indifferently at the sight, looking towards the sky.

"Lephise...? Can you hear me? I'm sorry..."

"Hey, don't apologize."

He smiled weakly at the response.

"Even now, you truly don't know anything, do you...?"

"Hayato..."

_You know that's not my real name, Lephise._

He heard silence, and there was a weak laugh in the wind.

"...Soru, right?"

Hayato simply smiled.

_Only if you pronounce it like that, Lephise._

"Hayato...kun..." Miyu glanced upwards and her eyes widened upon seeing his hands fade a bit, almost turning see-through.

_No... Not yet..._

Her eyes closed, a groan escaping her lips.

_Hinata... Love you..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_Huh?_

Akari stopped suddenly her eyes wide.

_No... We're too late..._

"Akari-chan?" Hinata asked, a little confused. "What's wrong? We need to hurry!!"

"Hinata-chan, even if we do..."

"...Akari-chan?"

Akari shook her head, brushing it off before walking forward.

"It doesn't matter. We're here anyway."

Hinata blinked, concern for her friend growing.

_Akari-chan...so cold... It's so unlike her..._

The snow elemental quickly shook her head and quickly rushed up to the light elemental's side, tentatively reaching out to grasp her hand.

Akari's ruby red eyes widened at the small gesture and she closed them, smiling softly to herself.

_I'm so lucky to have her._

"Thank you, Hinata-chan."

"N-No problem, Akari-chan, but..."

"We need to hurry. To save our family."

_Even though it's hopeless..._

"Y-Yeah."

The red head turned towards Hinata and gave her a tight hug.

"But remember, no matter what happens to us, Hinata-chan. Our bond will remain. No, not the bonds that related elementals always hold in their powers, but the bonds people hold within their hearts... You'll always be my best friend, Hinata-chan, and you'll always hold my trust... It's like what he's always wanted to say to him, the him that we'll soon meet. It doesn't matter who you are, what you are, what you do... Even if you cover this world in darkness, even if you kill millions of innocent people and even if you hate me with all your heart, I'll still support you and love you the way you are. And that love is not going to run cold, not in this lifetime of the thousands of years to come... Even though I know you wouldn't do that, Hinata-chan, just remember... If there's ever a time where you're all alone, and nobody forgives you, I will. Even if you killed me in the most brutal way possible, I'll always forgive you.... Because I love Hinata-chan, and my heart won't change its mind about that. Ever."

Hinata was in tears by the end of her speech and blinked them away before returning the hug.

"Who's him though, Akari-chan?"

Her friend simply smiled serenely.

"Who knows? But let's get going...okay, Hinata-chan?"

"Okay."

_It's hopeless, but for Hinata-chan. I'll try anyway...but shouldn't I tell her? They're already gone. They're already dead._

_...And that won't change._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"MIYU!!! YUME-CHAN!!! REI-CHAN!!! HAYATO-KUN!!!"

Hinata rushed though with Akari by her side, and emitted a light squeak at the sight of her sister on the ground, already paler than she usually was.

"N...no..."

She quickly ran up and took Miyu's hand, squeezing it gently as Akari slowly walked up behind her, blinking mindlessly.

_And we were too late after all._

"Akari...chan? Hey..."

She shook her head to rid herself of the voice before clenching her fists.

_Don't bother._

Akari shakily made her way towards her youngest brother's body, making his eyes slowly open.

"Ah, took you long enough, Akari."

"H-Haya..."

She bit her lip before leaning down and taking his hand.

"I'm sorry... If I knew earlier..."

"It wouldn't have made a difference; your powers are still developing you know, nee-chan."

"But, Haya-!"

His sister stopped, her eyes sadly wandering to the twins, still holding each other so close they looked almost stuck like that.

"Yume... Rei... Those two as well..."

"And they knew it, Akari."

Akari blinked, the numb exploding throughout her body as her ruby red eyes lost their shine, and everything became cold.

"Haya...to...?"

"I love you, nee-chan," Hayato whispered in the softest voice possible, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear as he smiled gently. "I won't let you feel pain anymore... I love you too much for that, and perhaps even more than I should."

She simply parted her lips and her eyes tore up, filling with tears. Hayato's smile widened a bit and he leaned over and whispered something unknown, making her eyes jolt wide, jumping into yet another vision.

_"...Are you really sure that he's safe, ouji-sama? I know he's your brother, but...his powers are growing swiftly and he could cause ruin, and that dark energy..."_

_"Shut it. Saiki-kun wouldn't lose control of his powers and you know it, Oyijiide-san... You're just scared is all."_

_The advisor scoffed. "Kojiro said the exact same thing..."_

_"And he's right. My Saiki-kun knows what's right and wrong; he could even take care of this kingdom if something ever happened to me..."_

_"Ouji-sama!!"_

_"But nothing." The older prince focused his cold gaze on the wall, his fists clenching. "I'm not going to betray him...no matter what you or Papa says. He's my responsibility as my otouto-chan, and I will take care of him no matter what happens...no matter what he does."_

_Oyijiide just shook his head and walked off._

_"I sure hope you know what you're doing..."_

_He frowned at that, and sighed._

_"Saiki-kun, how long have you been listening?"_

_"N-Not long at all, actually," came his brother's shushed reply as he stepped out from the shadows, his arms tightened against his chest. "Did you really mean what you said, nii-chan?"_

_The older twin faced him with a quick smile, reaching out to ruffle his hair like he always did._

_"But of course, otouto-chan."_

_"Don't call me that," Saiki snapped, blushing heavily. "But...thank you. For everything... Thank you... Akatsuki-nii-chan."_

_Akatsuki's smile widened._

_"It's worth it."_

Akari blinked furiously as the wind blew her hair out behind her as her eyes went blank, completely unaware of Hinata's continued sobbing; her siblings' bodies all vanished.

The snow elemental sniffled and looked around, her own tear-filled eyes widening.

"Where did they...go?" she squeaked before looking down at Miyu's body and...

...saw that it disappeared as well.

"MIYU?!"

Hinata scrambled towards Akari, furiously shaking her shoulders from behind.

"Akari-chan, Akari-chan, wake up!! Our family's gone!! Akari-chan!!"

Akari blinked, the shine momentarily returning to her eyes as she turned to face her friend, making her emit a small gasp.

"A...Akari-chan?"

The addressed girl blinked again, tilting her head to the side.

"Who are you?"

Hinata's eyes widened.

"Q-Quit joking around, Akari-chan!! It's me, Hinata-chan... You know, your friend..."

"Oh yes!" the light elemental gasped, blushing heavily. "T-That's right, Hinata-chan's my friend... Why are we here? Ghadius was defeated but that Skeith guy..."

"What about our family?" Hinata demanded quietly, her heart pounding.

Akari just looked confused.

"What family?"

The blond girl stared in pure disbelief.

_Amnesia?! Hayato-kun, this is your doing, isn't it...?_

She bit her lip.

_It's for the best, I suppose... But she doesn't remember you or the twins now; is this really alright?_

Her heart throbbed and she lightly laughed.

"Hey... Akari-chan... Remember that Hawaiian phrase you told me? I realized something."

It feels weird to love her like this...

"I don't know Hawaiian, Hinata-chan." Akari interjected, sounding as if worried for her condition of mind, making her freeze up. "We're just friends, right? We have to go...it's our destiny, isn't it? I'm a little scared, but..."

_So we're meant to be just friends after all... Lephise, was this something you planned? You and Hayato-kun? It worked._

Hinata bit her lip, but quickly formed a lop-sided grin.

"That's right; let's go, Akari-chan!"

Akari nodded a bit shyly and slipped her hand into Hinata's.

"Thank you."

_Our journey's almost over._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_"Ohana means family. And family means no one gets left behind... or forgotten."_

_"Do you honestly expect me to leave you, Hinata-chan?"_

_"As long as you're with me."_

_"I love you, Hinata-chan."_

_So all of that's gone now, huh? _Hinata thought sadly as she and Akari continued to walk through the now calm streets of Okinawa. _Way to freaking go. You're just lucky I don't come back to Cress and beat the stuffing out of you right now, Lephise._

Hinata looked up at the sky. Cress was floating above the clouds, though only Hinata and Akari could see it.

_You took my family AND Akari-chan's family from us... and what's worse, you took our love away._

Hinata growled softly, so that Akari wouldn't hear her.

_If I saw you right now, I'd kill you for what you did, Lephise. I don't usually hold grudges against ANYONE, but you are asking for it._

Suddenly, Hinata perked up, sensing a powerful energy nearby.

_Lephise. I suppose you're here to "check up" on us, huh?_

"Could you excuse me for a bit, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked. "I have to check in with Lephise."

Akari nodded, flashing a cute smile that made Hinata blush like crazy.

Hinata quickly turned around a nearby corner and waited for a few seconds.

"Well done, young elemental. You two have been progressing quite well."

As if on cue, Lephise appeared in front of Hinata, still smiling brightly, as though completely unfazed by the recent events.

"Well, there's still one Phase left. But Skeith just obliterated Ghadius for us, so I'm thankful for that. I've got a feeling that Skeith is still hiding somewhere here in Okinawa. Akari-chan and I are gonna rest for a bit, then we're gonna go look for him."

Lephise just nodded.

"Oh, speaking of which..."

Before the princess of Cress could respond, Hinata had leaped towards Lephise and aimed a punch for her. Lephise phased in and out to avoid the attack.

And still, Lephise stayed as calm as ever. "Is something troubling you, my dear elemental?"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK IS TROUBLING ME, LEPHISE?!!" Hinata screamed. "I had a feeling that this was all some scheme you and Hayato-kun cooked up, but I have no idea why I didn't realize it until it was too late!! This is all your fault, you know that?"

Any normal person would have become quite enraged by such a statement. Lephise, however, still stayed completely calm. "Whatever could you mean?"

Hinata took this opportunity to strike again, this time landing a punch square across Lephise's face.

"Do you want me to run through it in order, Lephise?" Hinata growled. "Okay, first, you take away my family. Second, you take away Akari-chan's family. And third, YOU MESSED UP AKARI-CHAN'S MEMORY!!! DID YOU EVEN REALIZE THAT WE WERE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER?!!"

"I had to, Hinata-chan," Lephise responded. "I could not have such unstable emotions tying you down. You know what would become of such notions. I do not want you two to die, as you are Cress' last hope."

"All right, that I can understand," Hinata stated, a powerful blue aura erupting to life around her the very next second. "BUT DID YOU EVER ONCE STOP TO CONSIDER MY FEELINGS WHEN IT CAME TO YOUR STUPID LITTLE PLANS?!!!"

"You must believe me, Hinata-chan," Lephise noted. "I wish I didn't have to do what I did, but I can't turn down an order by the council. They have much more authority in Cress than I do. And... you're probably not going to like this, but... the part of Akari-chan's memory that was erased... isn't ever going to come back..."

Hinata just stood there, silent for a few seconds.

"What... did you... just say?"

Lephise suddenly perked up. _Maybe I shouldn't have said that..._

"Yeah, you're damn right you shouldn't have said that!!!" Hinata shot back, aiming an elemental attack right for Lephise.

"_Something just doesn't feel right..." Saiki repeated a second time, looking around._

"_Ah Saiki-kun... You're just being paranoid again..." Moriko noted with a sigh, putting her hands on her hips. "Gaul's gone again..."_

"_But all this dark energy... Something's definitely not right..." the wizard replied, blushing a bit. "It feels... eerie."_

"_Saiki-kun's always especially acute to dark energy... I wonder if it has anything to do with his elemental abilities..." Yuki pondered, swinging her legs. "Maybe it was that energy that brought us together, right?"_

_Her boyfriend suddenly looked uneasy. "...Maybe."_

"'_People with power are attracted to each other'," Akari stated softly, surprised. "Is that what he meant?"_

"_Who? What?" Hinata asked, confused._

"_N-Nothing!" her friend quickly replied, blushing like crazy. "I was just remembering something I heard once!"_

"_Oh... Really?" Looking straight into Hinata's confused brown eyes, she quickly nodded._

"_Yes, yes, yes!"_

"_You don't need to freak out, Akari-chan..." her more carefree friend mumbled, a little annoyed with narrowed eyes._

"_I'm not freaking out!!" Akari immediately denied, waving her arms like crazy. "I'm just... er... a little paranoid."_

"_Aieee! Paranoia is contagious!" Hinata yelped dramatically, hands pressed on cheeks._

_Akari flustered. "H-Hinata-chan..."_

"_Akari-chan, Hinata-chan, this isn't the time to be joking around!" Kurumi scolded. "If what Saiki-kun says is true, we best be ready!"_

_Glancing at Nick, she sighed._

_"But... Oh, I sure Nick-kun wakes up soon..."_

"Was this all just a damn game to you, Lephise?!" Hinata exclaimed. "You're lucky I don't just kill you where you stand!!"

"Even if I did, I would still be resurrected," Lephise responded, still staying surprisingly calm. "You know that I am technically immortal."

"YOU'RE MISSING THE DAMN POINT!!!!" Hinata shot back, the aura surrounding her picking up in force. "DID YOU EVER CONSIDER MY FEELINGS?!!"

Just then, Hinata noticed that Lephise actually seemed to be _crying_.

"Please... Hinata-chan, I tried my best to convince the council not to erase your friend's memory like that, but... I have no such power to override the council's decision... You have to believe me when I say that I tried everything I could..."

"Hinata-chan!!" Akari called. "Is everything all right? You've been gone a long time..."

"I'm fine, Akari-chan!!" Hinata called back. "I'm just chatting with Lephise!! I'll be back in a second!!"

Hinata then turned back to the crying Lephise. Without even realizing why she was doing it, Hinata walked up to Lephise and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Lephise," Hinata stated. "I don't know why I went crazy back there..."

"I can see why Ghadius was so afraid of you..." Lephise giggled.

"Hayato-kun was right about you. You're definitely a troublemaker," Hinata responded. "Well, I should get back to Akari-chan before she starts worrying about me."

"I'll keep an eye on you two and I'll let you know if I spot Skeith," Lephise responded. "And... I'm sorry it had to come to this."

Hinata just nodded, giving a cute smile before returning to Akari.

When Hinata was out of her sight, Lephise raised her hands.

"There's one memory they couldn't take from the light elemental... I can at least do this for you, Hinata-chan."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

As Hinata continued to travel with Akari, the snow elemental's mind kept rushing back to the Hawaiian phrase she had spoken to Akari not too long ago.

"I guess she'll never remember now..." Hinata stated to herself, remembering the phrase.

"_Ohana_ means family. And family means..."

Hinata couldn't finish the sentence, trying her best not to break down into a crying fit.

However, Akari then spoke some words that Hinata couldn't hear.

"...nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten."

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_That is what it meant...right? It's like Hinata-chan and me, we're a family..._

"Y-You know those people you always referred to, Akari-chan?" Hinata laughed, almost a bit regrettably. "I never found out who they...or who he was... Were you in love with him or something? You referred to him a lot, and mentioning him sometimes, you got into a bit of a tizzy..."

Akari blinked, surprised.

"Hinata-chan..."

"That Sai person... I don't know... Was that person special to you? When you were talking to me, you were talking to him as well..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the light elemental pleaded, almost begging for an explanation. "Hinata-chan..."

"She said you wouldn't remember. She said."

"Who?"

"Lephise...you know, Hayato-kun's friend?"

"Hayato-kun?"

"..."

"...Hinata-chan?"

_You don't even remember your own brother, Akari-chan?_

"I-It's nothing..."

_I guess I was being selfish in the end..._

"Um..."

Hinata took a deep breath, and Akari blushed lightly, still confused.

"Hinata-chan..."

"You know... I've had a few visions myself as well..."

"Oh really?" The pink-haired girl smiled, completely missing the 'as well'. "How interesting! Was it the future or something?"

Hinata merely nodded.

"I think I knew...who you were talking about all this time, Akari-chan. Who you were thinking about."

_Who you may end up falling in love with instead of me._

"What are you talking about, Hinata-chan?" Akari laughed a bit uneasily. "You're acting weird, and it's kinda making me feel a little funny..."

"It's Saiki-kun, right? The one whose powers are opposite of yours?"

"Who?"

Now Akari was lost.

"What are you prattling on about, Hinata-chan? It's really starting to weird me out..."

"Forget it," Hinata growled lightly, her fists tightening. "Forget I said anything."

_You already forgot everything else. Including that I was freaking in love with you, Akari-chan. Go ahead; fall for some guy who'll never be yours. See if I care._

"Okay..." her friend replied simply, unknowingly making her anger boil even more.

_Akari-chan...doesn't really remember ANYTHING?! Her feelings as well... I never knew who those feelings were whenever she got worked up... Referring to Saiki-kun for the first time... Who felt that? His other?_

"A-Akari-chan... You know I love you, right?"

Akari's smile simply brightened, and she nodded.

"I love you, Hinata-chan."

Hinata blushed.

"Akari-chan... There's something I want to tell you..."

_Maybe... If I just tell her straight-out how I feel again... Maybe, just maybe..._

"You know Hinata-chan, we're a lot like a family, aren't we?"

Hinata's eyes jolted wide as her best friend giggled.

"_Ohana_ means family, right? And that family means no one will be left behind or forgotten, right? I remember you saying that and it slipped my mind! I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."

_Miyu, Hayato-kun, Yume-chan, and Rei-chan were all forgotten though, Akari-chan. You don't even realize you had a family._

"I'm not a really good friend, am I?" Akari smiled apologetically, blushing a bit. "B-But, I'm really grateful to Hinata-chan... Hinata-chan's really great... Hinata-chan's a really great friend."

Hinata's eyes tore up.

_What if I wanted more though, Akari-chan? Are your feelings still the same?_

"I think we'll be friends forever!!" the light elemental exclaimed happily, making the snow elemental freeze. "Thank you, for being there for me all this time, alright Hinata-chan? You'll always be my best friend."

At that, Hinata dived headfirst into a flashback.

_Akari's ruby red eyes widened at the small gesture and she closed them, smiling softly to herself._

_"Thank you, Hinata-chan."_

_"N-No problem, Akari-chan, but..."_

_"We need to hurry. To save our family."_

_"Y-Yeah."_

_The red head turned towards Hinata and gave her a tight hug._

_"But remember, no matter what happens to us, Hinata-chan. Our bond will remain. No, not the bonds that related elementals always hold in their powers, but the bonds people hold within their hearts... You'll always be my best friend, Hinata-chan, and you'll always hold my trust... It's like what he's always wanted to say to him, the him that we'll soon meet. It doesn't matter who you are, what you are, what you do... Even if you cover this world in darkness, even if you kill millions of innocent people and even if you hate me with all your heart, I'll still support you and love you the way you are. And that love is not going to run cold, not in this lifetime of the thousands of years to come... Even though I know you wouldn't do that, Hinata-chan, just remember... If there's ever a time where you're all alone, and nobody forgives you, I will. Even if you killed me in the most brutal way possible, I'll always forgive you.... Because I love Hinata-chan, and my heart won't change its mind about that. Ever."_

_Hinata was in tears by the end of her speech and blinked them away before returning the hug._

_"Who's him though, Akari-chan?"_

_Her friend simply smiled serenely._

_"Who knows? But let's get going...okay, Hinata-chan?"_

_"Okay."_

"Akari-chan..." she spoke, finally realizing what she meant. "You knew, didn't you?"

"Know what, Hinata-chan?" Akari laughed, smiling brightly, only bringing tears to Hinata's eyes. "H-Hinata-chan?!"

_She knew she'd forget... So that's why she said all that..._

"Look Hinata-chan, if I accidentally offended you, I'm really sorry!!"

_Even if she was talking through someone else's heart, she felt the exact same way about me... Akari-chan..._

"Please don't cry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

_I'm so lucky...just to be able to know her!!_

"H-Hinata-chan...?"

"I LOVE YOU, AKARI-CHAN!!!" Hinata exclaimed, tackling Akari in a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder. "I-I love you so much... I love you, Akari-chan... I love you, I love you, I love you...and..."

Her grip tightened on the surprised light elemental.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Akari-chan."

"I-It's alright, I forgive you," Akari responded, a little surprised by the burst of emotion. "No need to worry, right Hinata-chan?"

"Even when the situation's worrisome?" her friend laughed bitterly, snuggling against her neck. "But I do love you, Akari-chan."

_More than you'll ever know._

"M-Me too..." Akari stammered, blushing heavily. "L-Let's do our best, alright?"

Hinata simply nodded, pulling back as she rested their foreheads together.

"Let's."

_Akari-chan won't change her feelings, and I'll always love her... I'm so glad to be her friend, so maybe... Maybe I'll have my memories wiped so we'll be the same... Akari-chan..._

Akari closed her eyes, sighing a bit.

_I think... today will be a good day._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_So, there we were, just waiting for Skeith to make his next move. I'm just glad that Akari-chan didn't lose all of her memories. I had all but forgotten about it thanks to how pissed off I'd gotten at Lephise, but I quickly realized that the reason Akari-chan remembers at least some of our relationship was due to the bond we share. It's just like she said, isn't it?_

Hinata looked up into the skies of Okinawa; unseen to the rest of the populace, Cress was still hovering over the city.

"Cress looks so beautiful in the sunset, doesn't it, Hinata-chan?" Akari stated, blushing as the snow elemental leaned over to peck Akari on the cheek.

"What sucks about it is that you and I are the only ones that can see it," Hinata noted. "I just hope Lephise-sama isn't driving herself crazy doing whatever she does up there."

Akari giggled at that. "No fake."

Hinata continued to stare at the luminescent crystals that seemed to give Cress a bit of a regal glow.

_I don't want to lose my memories of Akari-chan,_ Hinata thought. _I love her too damn much to let go of those memories. I'm just glad that she at least remembered our relationship. That's something I should be thanking you for, Lephise. I had no idea you could retrieve lost memories. What else have you been hiding?_

Just as Hinata was about to lean in for a kiss, she realized something.

_Wait a minute. Akari-chan was right, wasn't she?_

_"But remember, no matter what happens to us, Hinata-chan, our bond will remain. No, not the bonds that related elementals always hold in their powers, but the bonds people hold within their hearts..."_

_That's what she meant, didn't she?_ Hinata realized. _The bond we have... that's why she still remembers me and enough of our relationship._

Hinata looked at Akari, a few tears forming in the snow elemental's eyes. _Listen, Akari-chan. I want you to understand something, even if you can't hear me. Whether it's me you fall in love with for real or if it's someone else, I'll always be happy for you. If you do fall for someone that's not me, I'll work hard with you to help that relationship along. I'll bless that relationship, if that's what'll truly make you happy. Understand, Akari-chan? No matter who you fall for, whether it's me or someone else, I'll be happy as long as you're happy._

Before Hinata could finish her train of thought, she noticed something high in the sky.

"Um... Akari-chan? Did you just see...?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," Akari responded. "I think I saw it, too. Something on Cress..."

No sooner had Akari said than a good chunk of the crystal formation that held Cress up was destroyed in a massive hellstorm of fire and glass.

"What the hell?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"I'm guessing that Skeith finally made his move..." Akari noted.

The next thing that Hinata noted was that Cress had started falling, and apparently now everyone in Okinawa could see it, because they were all running around like a bunch of idiots.

"Oh, hell!!" Hinata exclaimed, suddenly realizing something. "If Cress crashes, Okinawa's gonna take a lot of damage!!!"

Akari shook her head. "Damage nothing. If Cress impacts, we could pretty much kiss Okinawa goodbye. We've gotta get out there and stop this thing from crashing!!"

Hinata just nodded, both elementals transforming into their angel forms before rushing towards the falling Cress.

"We need to hurry, Hinata-chan!!!" Akari exclaimed. "We won't have much time to get Cress somewhere safe!!!"

Hinata nodded, focusing her elemental energy into her open hands as Akari did the same.

Once Cress was close enough, Hinata and Akari thrust their hands forward, firing massive beams of their respective element towards Cress, which impacted easily and started holding the falling Cress back.

"It's working!! Keep it up!!!" Hinata exclaimed, feeding more energy into her attack.

"Um, Hinata-chan, we may have a problem here," Akari noted. "I don't know how long we can keep this up, and if we make a mistake, we're done for..."

"I know that, Akari-chan," Hinata responded. "But I'm gonna try something that Lephise taught me. She said only to use it in an emergency, and I'm pretty sure this qualifies as an emergency."

Hinata focused her mind, using her elemental powers to amplify this new ability of hers and hoping like hell that this would work.

"Here goes nothing. CHAOS CONTROL!!!!"

Upon Hinata's proclamation, Cress was enveloped in a massive fluctuation of blue energy that eventually disappeared, taking Cress with it and reappearing back in the sky, on its proper orbit.

"There we go," Hinata stated, suddenly reverting out of her angel form and falling to the ground. Luckily, Akari was there to catch her dispelling her beam.

"You okay?" Akari asked.

"Yeah, I should be," Hinata responded. "That move just took a lot out of me. Lephise told me that Chaos Control is a VERY sophisticated technique, something that only the moon people and elementals are able to use. It takes a lot of energy to use, since that energy is used to pretty much manipulate the space-time around an object."

Hinata sighed heavily. "So, in summation, that move drained a lot of my energy, so we're gonna need to rest up a bit before we head out to find Skeith, okay?"

Akari just giggled, pecking Hinata on the cheek. "Okay."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, in a far-away dimension, Skeith had just witnessed Hinata's use of Chaos Control to set Cress back into its proper orbit.

"Minute by minute, these elemental brats seem to impress me more and more," Skeith admitted. "They are growing exponentially stronger with each moment they spend together. That is why they must be eliminated. I will not have two girls impeding my plans to ravage this pitiful, pathetic world. Isn't that right..."

A figure stepped out of the darkness.

"...Lephise?"

Indeed, it was Lephise, but her eyes now had a glossed-over look.

"Yes, master."

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"Hinata-chan...?"

"Yeah Akari-chan, what is it?"

"While we're waiting... Can you tell me a story?"

"Huh?"

A story?

"F-Forget it, I was just really bored, so..."

The light elemental shook her head as she mumbled another apology, curling into a fetal position with a sigh.

"Um... Sorry, Hinata-chan."

Hinata had to smile at that.

"I don't know any good stories, Akari-chan."

"T-That's alright... I..."

"Do you just want me to tell you a typical fairy tale? Like Cinderella or Snow White?"

Silence.

Akari blushed darkly.

"Momotarō."

More silence. Hinata stared.

Akari's blush darkened as she pulled herself into a tighter ball, biting her lip.

"I... I like that story..."

The snow elemental stared some more.

"The story about the weird peach boy?"

A nod.

"With a talking dog...and a monkey?"

Another nod before the pink-haired girl added, "Don't forget the pheasant."

Hinata blinked.

"And they all go on a quest to defeat an ogre? Right?"

Nod.

"...Um...Akari-chan..."

"Forget I said anything, Hinata-chan."

"No, no, it's fine but..." Hinata blushed, laughing a bit as she scratched the top of her head. "Momotarō is a really weird fairy tale; Miyu and I were never too fond of it..."

"...Who's Miyu?"

Hinata froze.

_That's right... Akari-chan doesn't remember anyone anymore... But my own sister..._

"...She's no one."

Her heart clenched before she just mentally added, _no one that you would remember anymore anyway._

Akari barely looked up thought she made a "huh" sound, her arms tightening around her knees.

"I think...we're a lot similar to Momotarō."

Hinata nearly choked.

"M-Momotarō?! **Us**?!"

Akari nodded yet again.

"We're trying to defeat Skeith, aren't we?"

"I suppose he is a bit like an ogre," her friend laughed a bit shakily, shrugging a bit. "But, the whole peach thing..."

_This is weird, but man... She's just so cute..._

"We're elementals, and very special..."

A smile tugged at Akari's lips.

"I think...we're like Momotarō."

Hinata had to smile herself, reaching over to ruffle the light elemental's hair with a hard laugh.

"Akari-chan, we're missing one talking dog, monkey, and pheasant."

_Though...now that I think about it..._

"Yeah, I suppose we are..." Akari giggled. "Imagine that, for a second... I thought we did..."

_Our siblings...could be the animals, couldn't they?_

Hinata blinked, her mind going blank for a few moments.

_That could make since... Miyu could be the dog, Hayato-kun could be the pheasant, and the twins could both be the monkey._

"Sorry about that Hinata-chan, I was just thinking..."

_This fairy tale... Even if it's Momotarō...of all things... All it does is remind me of Miyu and the others..._

Her smile disappeared, and Akari sighed, still unaware of her friend's change in sudden atmosphere.

"I don't know why...but my head hurts, and I feel really bad..."

_It reminds her of the twins and Hayato-kun, even if she doesn't know it... It was a fairy tale...they all loved together._

An image of Akari and her siblings happily reading the story together flashed in Hinata's mind, and she frowned.

She was probably...comparing them to the story like she is now.

"Hinata-chan...what do you think this feeling is?"

"..."

"...Um..."

"..."

"...Hinata-chan?"

Akari slowly got up, only to be pulled into her friend's lap, earning a yelp as she blushed heavily.

"H-Hinata-chan!! Is something wrong?!"

Hinata merely shook her head.

"...no..."

_She remembers them...but at the same time, she doesn't. Oh, Akari-chan... But I can't tell her..._

"Why do you...like Momotarō so much anyway, Akari-chan?"

Akari blinked at the question.

"Um...Hinata-chan?"

The snow elemental bit her lip.

_If this story is the only thing that ties in with Hayato-kun, Yume-chan, and Rei-chan..._

"Well?"

_Then...then..._

"I don't really...know."

_Huh..._

Akari blinked again, but more slowly as a sigh escaped her lips.

_Remembering...for some reason...makes me really happy..._

"I just like it..."

_But..._

Her eyes closed.

_But I have no idea why I like it so much... It's so strange..._

"I don't know why..."

_So strange..._

Hinata lightly gasped, and brushed a bit of her friend's cherry-colored locks from her eyes.

_So that's how it is..._

"I see..."

A smile tugged at her lips.

_Akari-chan...if only you knew... You really are cute, aren't you? I'm fighting off some serious temptation here!!_

"That's alright, Akari-chan."

"...Hinata-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you...right?"

"I love you, too...Akari-chan." _God, I love you so much...much more than you'll ever know..._

"I'm glad."

Akari's eyes just closed.

_Hinata-chan... I really wish I knew what that feeling was... I feel so lonely and sad...but that can't be right..._

"Sweet dreams, Akari-chan," her friend whispered one last time before sleep claimed her completely.

_It's all for her sake..._

Akari moaned lightly, sighing a bit.

_Soon... the final battle will begin, but... where are you, though? I'm scared now... and I don't understand..._

Her lips parted, mouthing only one name that Hinata never noticed.

_"Lephise."_

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

_I realized something just then. It was almost time for the last battle, but what was this odd feeling I had? It felt like I could somehow see the future, but it was really fuzzy and wouldn't let me clarify anything... Was I trying to see what would happen in the future? Was I trying to see if anything bad was going to happen to Akari-chan so I could try to change fate?_

"I believe it is time," Skeith stated, turning to the hypnotized Lephise. "I have accrued enough energy to begin my assault on Okinawa and hopefully draw those elemental rats out from the sewers. You know what you have to do, Lephise?"

"Yes, Skeith," Lephise responded.

"Good. It is finally time. Let us do what we were brought into this world to do."

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"It's a nice day today, isn't it?" Akari noted. She and Hinata were talking a walk through Okinawa, still taking advantage of the time they had to see the sights before they went off to pursue Skeith.

"No kidding," Hinata answered. "It seems so weird that we might never see it again, especially with what Skeith is trying to do..."

"Did someone call me?"

Hinata and Akari whipped themselves around, and sure enough, there was Skeith.

"I found you," Skeith taunted. "You two. Your number is up. I hold all the cards here. Do not hope to win against someone of my caliber."

Hinata and Akari summoned their elements, glowing with auras of their respective colors.

"Why don't you put your claims where your big fat mouth is?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Such harsh words, elemental," Skeith responded, only to have a powerful burst of blizzard energy knock him back.

"My name is Hinata!!!" the snow elemental exclaimed, her aura pulsing fiercely. "And don't you forget it!!!"

"Hinata, then," Skeith stated. "You two have been progressing very well. I never in my life thought you'd be strong enough to defeat Ghadius, young as you are."

"You actually helped us a bit there," Akari noted, remembering how Skeith had betrayed Ghadius.

"Ghadius is nothing compared to me. And you will quickly understand that I am not as merciful as that fool."

"Yeah, yeah. Why don't you just shut up and bring it on?!" Hinata shot back.

"How about I test you first?" Skeith sneered. "Lephise, you're on."

Hinata and Akari snapped up at this.

"Wait a minute. Did you just say Lephise?" Hinata asked, her fists starting to shake.

"Who else would I be referring to?" Skeith growled. "Lephise has been working alongside me this whole time, relaying information about your quest and informing me when would be a good time to strike. Now, Lephise, if you would be so kind as to eliminate these meddlesome pests." And with that, Skeith disappeared.

"Yes, master," Lephise stated, rushing in and slashing at Hinata and Akari.

"WHOA!!!!" Hinata screamed. "Lephise, did you lose your BEANS or something?! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU WORKING FOR SKEITH?!!"

"I will obey the master," Lephise continued, lobbing numerous balls of dark energy for the two elementals.

"We trusted you, Lephise!!" Akari exclaimed, using an Araidasu to counter a particularly nasty dark energy shot. "And now we find you working for our worst enemy? Do you know how much of a slap in the face that feels like?"

"I will not fail the master," Lephise continued, rushing forward again, only for Hinata to stop her, the snow elemental and the princess of Cress engaged in a dangerous grappling match.

"What the hell is your PROBLEM, Lephise?!" Hinata shouted. "I thought we could trust you, and now I find you calling that son of a bitch your master?!"

Lephise just shook her head. "I will honor and obey my master."

_I've had enough of this crap._ Hinata reached back...

SLAP!!!!

Without any warning, Hinata slapped Lephise right across the face. Akari noted that there was a rather painful-looking bruise left behind from where Hinata had slapped Lephise.

Wow. Remind me never to get on Hinata-chan's bad side, Akari thought.

Lephise looked around for a few seconds, apparently confused.

"Um... where am I?" Lephise wondered, apparently back to her old self.

"Sugoi!! I had no idea just slapping you could free you from mind control!!" Hinata giggled. "I've got to try that more often."

"Mind control?" Lephise asked. "The last thing I remember is Skeith ambushing me... the rest... nothing..."

"Mind control does that to people," Akari noted. "I saw it on so many of those old 60s shows."

The princess of Cress just giggled.

"You sicken me, Lephise."

Before anyone realized what had just happened, a rather large blade had just impaled Lephise through the heart. Hinata looked up and noticed that Skeith had returned, and was the one who had just impaled Lephise.

"You are a lying, traitorous bitch. You know that, Lephise?" Skeith taunted. "That's why you will pay for this treason."

Skeith retracted the blade, and Lephise instantly evaporated, leaving nothing behind.

"And that takes care of that," Skeith grinned, retreating into a dark portal.

"Oh, no you don't!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "You're not getting away this time!!! Akari-chan, let's go!!"

Akari nodded, following her girlfriend into the dark portal that Skeith had left behind.

_"This is it, huh?"_

_"GO, NEE-NEE!!!"_

_"You two don't have to shout so loud, you know..."_

The spirit forms of Hinata and Akari's family appeared right in front of the dark portal left behind by Skeith.

_"We just wanted to cheer nee-nee on!!"_ Yume giggled.

_"As long as we're watching her, she'll kick Skeith's butt!!"_ Rei continued.

_"You two really have no shortage of energy, do you?"_ Miyu stated, shaking her head at the wacky antics of the two twins.

_"This is Akari-nee-chan we're talking about,"_ Hayato noted. _"As long as she's got Hinata-chan by her side, she won't lose. Lephise has been telling me that for years."_

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

_When you're born into the world... it used to be said that there are already two jars ready for you. One full of happiness, and the other full of sorrow._

_What would happen, do you think?_

_If you gave your happiness jar to someone else, what would happen? If you shattered both jars, then what?_

_How can anything go exactly as planned? It's impossible._

_Still... we try, don't we?_

_We never know just when to give up._

_I don't understand much, but I'm just going to move on. It's all we can do, right?_

_Even if we lose someone, the only sensible option is to just live._

_It's all we can do, isn't it?_

_Living is really hard, but at the same time..._

_It really is something amazing, isn't it?_

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_We're finally here... This is it._

Akari's hand tightened around Hinata's and she nodded, sighing.

_I'm scared like always, but somewhere in me, I'm a little excited as well. I really want this over with... But..._

"Hinata-chan, what would happen?"

This confused the snow elemental momentarily.

"Huh?"

"When we defeat Skeith, then what? What would happen?"

"Oh... I never thought about that, Akari-chan... Really..."

Hinata soon grinned, laughing a bit.

"We'll have to deal with the monkey then! But after that, then what? How boring!!"

"You mean like Momotarō?" Akari wondered, hopelessly confused. "I thought he was supposed to be a friend..."

That comment made her friend stare at her, surprised.

_So she's even forgotten about Gaul, too? I guess it isn't that big of a shock, but really..._

"Don't worry about it, Akari-chan. We'll cross that bridge when we get there!!"

Akari soon frowned.

_But what would happen? When we complete our journey, then what? I'm so confused... What would happen?!_

"What if we lost?"

Hinata froze, staring at the light elemental in confusion.

_What...?_

"I-I'm sorry Akari-chan, what was that?"

_She can't be serious..._

"I said if we lost and if Skeith defeated us...then what?"

Akari's eyelids lowered, her lips twisting into a frown.

_It's true, though... I can't help but wonder..._

"If we can't overpower him, Hinata-chan... What would happen, do you think? Not everything goes the way it's supposed to..."

_If we lose..._

"It's too complicated and rough for it to..."

_And if we're defeated..._

"It's just the way things are, right? Life can be really cruel, can't it? Sad, huh?"

_Then what?_

"Akari-chan..."

Hinata twirled a bit of her blond hair around her fingers, sucking in her breath.

_How am I supposed to respond to that? Shouldn't it go without saying?_

"We... we won't lose, Akari-chan. We can do it."

The light elemental was silent for a few moments before another sigh escaped her lips.

"How can you be sure, Hinata-chan?"

"I..."

"How can you always be so sure?"

"I-!"

"Hinata-chan."

The snow elemental froze, staring at the cherry-haired girl with wide eyes, her lips parting.

_Akari-chan..._

"Hinata-chan," she repeated, looking down with a vacant expression. "If we lose, and let everyone down, and if we let Skeith has his way... why would we even bother?"

"I don't understand, Akari-chan."

"It's like compensation, isn't it?"

That's when Akari smiled, her eyelids lowered as if at ease.

"No one will thank us except Lephise-san perhaps, but she's gone now... Why are we doing this? I don't want anyone to die, but I still have to wonder... Who decided to make us what we are?"

Hinata had to smile back and shrugged, still confused.

"Destiny...?"

"What is destiny anyway?" the light elemental laughed, shaking her head. "How do we even know our own destiny? Who has the right to plan out our own futures, Hinata-chan?"

The snow elemental's smile disappeared.

"I don't know... I just do what I think is right, Akari-chan... Don't you...?" Her expression turned somewhat quizzical. "Don't you feel the same, Akari-chan?"

"I just wanted to make sure... We control our own futures in the end." Akari's smile widened. "I don't like influencing others, but I don't want this world to be destroyed. I like it here, and I want to spend my days in this place."

Hinata's smile returned.

"Same here, Akari-chan."

"Let's go make something of our lives, okay? Cause in the end, it won't matter... alright?"

Her friend nodded, placing a hand on Akari's shoulder.

"Your wish is my command, Akari-chan."

"Don't be silly... let's just go."

"Roger."

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_"Will they really be alright, Hayato-kun?"_

_"Who knows? It's all based on chance, right?"_

_"Nee-nee will do it; she has to!!"_

_"Yes, it's definitely alright!"_

_"I wonder about that..."_

_"Hey, Hayato-kun!! Hinata-nee-chan will pull through for sure!!"_

_"We're disobeying fate right now, Miyu-san... Our feelings are a moot point at this moment."_

_"Haya!! That's not fair!"_

_"Say whatever you two will... it's still true."_

_"So what?"_

_"Huh?"_

_"So WHAT, Hayato-kun? Who's in charge of us? Is it you? The Cress? Lephise? Skeith? No. It's not like that at all."_

_"Miyu-san... You agree with Akari-nee-chan, huh?"_

_"Of course."_

_"I can't say I'm surprised... She completely contradicts her relative's 'other' by saying that... The future looks pleasing though."_

_"Hey..."_

_"...Haya?"_

_"Of course, the future's still infinite, isn't it? Lephise..."_

_"We suppose..."_

_"So mysterious, Hayato-kun."_

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"Greetings. You two made it."

"Greetings indeed," Hinata scoffed before getting into battle stance. "So why'd you do it? Lephise may have betrayed you, but you had no right to do that to her!!"

"Right? What right do I need?" Skeith smirked. "What would you two even know?"

Akari frowned. "You really didn't like being locked up, huh?"

"What was your first clue?"

"That's sad," she noted, sighing. "You must have been lonely..."

"Akari-chan?" Hinata wondered while Skeith chose not to respond. "Hey..."

"You know, I'm not looking forward to defeating you if I do," the light elemental continued, her voice soft. "But if you're going to do your best, I'll return the favor by doing my best as well."

"...Say what you will."

"You don't have to call me by name," she murmured. "But in case you wanted to know, it's Akari."

"Akari-chan..." Hinata began while she soon smiled, taking her hand.

"Hinata-chan and I... won't give up!!"

_Not now, not ever!! So the final battle, or not, will begin... Who knows what'll happen? Will we win? Will we lose? Will we give up more than what's necessary? Who knows? All I know, is that for now, I'm just going to do what I believe is 'right'... even when I know somewhere that I just might be wrong._

(Written by **S.P.D. Gold Ranger**)

Skeith raised his hands and the background suddenly began to shift. When Hinata and Akari could see clearly, they noticed that Skeith had transported them to the skies high above Okinawa, which gave the two elementals a breath-taking aerial view of their hometown.

"What the...?" Hinata exclaimed when she realized she wasn't falling. Akari reached down and touched something solid, indicating that the ground they were standing on was invisible.

"What's the deal, Skeith?!" Hinata shot. "You're not planning on messing with our city, are you?!"

Skeith just laughed evilly. "I am above such tripe. The reason I took us back to your home city is simple: this place will become your grave."

_Ai ga ai wo "omosugiru" tte rikai wo kobami_

_Nikushimi ni kawatte iku mae ni..._

_(Before love says that love is, "Too heavy," rejects comprehension_

_And turns into hatred...)_

"All right, Skeith," Hinata challenged, transforming into the Fuyu no Tenshi. "This is IT. No more games, no more running away, no more ANYTHING. We end this, right here, right now!!!"

"Exactly!!" Akari responded, transforming into the Natsu no Tenshi. "We won't allow you to spread your evil any longer!!"

Skeith just grinned evilly. "Always to the point, huh, elementals? Very well, then. We end this now."

_Nanimokamo sou daro?_

_BATSU no warui jijou ni wa itsumo_

_futashite kuwasemono no RIARU_

_(Just about everything is so, right?_

_In situations where you get bad penalties, there's always the reality_

_of covering them up and faking them)_

Skeith made the first move and subsequently began the final battle by charging his staff with dark power and slashing it forwards, unleashing a wave of dark energy that Hinata and Akari easily dodged.

"Is that IT?!" Hinata exclaimed. "Come on, Skeith!! You can do WAY better than that!!!"

"Oh, I'm just getting started, brats," Skeith shot back. He raised his staff and began chanting in a mysterious language. Not even a second later, multiple meteors came streaking towards the two elementals.

_Yuganda dilemma jidai de_

_yakusoku shita hazu no futari sae_

_kidzukazu toorisugite yuku_

_(In the era of distorted dilemmas_

_Even we, who should have made a promise together,_

_pass by each other without noticing)_

Akari wasted no time in rushing in front of Hinata.

_"ARAIDASU!!!"_ Akari cried out, a massive burst of light streaking from her hands and blocking the meteors that Skeith had shot at them.

"Nice save, Akari-chan," Hinata giggled.

"No problem, Hinata-chan," Akari responded, smiling all the while.

"STOP IGNORING ME, BRATS!!!!" Skeith roared, swiping his staff rapidly for the two elementals.

Hinata rapidly fired off bursts of blizzard energy to block each of Skeith's swipes.

_Kowashiatte wakariatteta koto mo_

_Okizari ni shita kore ga nare no hate nano?_

_(I abandoned the fact that we destroyed each other,_

_and understood each other... is this a wreck?)_

"In your FACE, freak boy!!!" Hinata taunted.

Akari sweatdropped at that. "Don't provoke him, Hinata-chan..."

"Sink into nothingness!!!" Skeith proclaimed, aiming his staff for Akari and firing off what appeared to be miniature black holes.

Akari flapped her elemental wings and took flight, agilely maneuvering through the barrage of black holes.

"Easy," Akari giggled.

"Too slow, bratling!!!" Skeith growled, phasing in front of Akari and delivering a powerful staff swipe that the light elemental couldn't avoid at such point-blank range. The force of the impact knocked Akari out of the sky.

_Mitomenaide tachimukatta toki mo_

_Ochite iku toki no image kara nigedasezu ni_

_(Don't acknowledge me; even when I confront it_

_I can't escape the images from when I fell)_

Hinata quickly rushed up to catch the falling Akari.

"You're going to pay for that, buddy!!!" Hinata exclaimed after gently setting Akari down. Hinata wasted no time in taking flight, avoiding swipe after swipe from Skeith's staff.

"Learn your place, cold brat," Skeith growled, aiming another attack, only to be interrupted when Hinata drove her fist into Skeith's stomach, the snow elemental's boosted strength easily dazing him.

"And learn how to crack jokes, buddy!!" Hinata stated before rearing back and unleashing a spinning roundhouse kick that knocked Skeith back a couple feet.

"Lucky shot, elemental," Skeith noted.

"MY NAME IS HINATA!!!!" the snow elemental screamed, thrusting her hands forward and unleashing a blizzard that caused a good bit of damage. "DON'T YOU **EVER** FORGET IT!!!!"

_Ah nando demo sagashidasu yo_

_Kimi no me sono te no nukumori wo_

_(Ah, but I'll find your eyes and the warmth of your hands_

_Time and time again)_

"You do not seem to understand what is at stake here," Skeith stated, raising his staff again. "Well, let me remind you!!!"

The staff began glowing with two bright lights; one white, one black.

"Oh, jeez!!!" Hinata exclaimed as an orb of light surrounded her and Akari. An orb of darkness quickly joined with the light orb.

"Now taste chaos!! _Concero Animus!!!_" Skeith exclaimed. Responding to this command, the orb of chaos exploded, dealing a fair bit of damage to the two elementals.

_Nanimokamo sou daro?_

_BATSU no warui jijou ni wa itsumo_

_futashite kuwasemono no RIARU_

_(Just about everything is so, right?_

_In situations where you get bad penalties, there's always the reality_

_of covering them up and faking them)_

"Good one, Skeith," Hinata stated, picking herself up and shrugging off the damage she'd taken. "But it's going to take a lot more than that to stop us!!!"

"You two sure are gluttons for punishment," Skeith taunted. "Why not just go quickly to your death?!"

"Why don't you just shut up and bring it on?!" Hinata shot back, taking flight again and charging for Skeith.

Hinata continually dodged slashes from Skeith's staff as if waiting for something.

"Why won't you fight back, elemental?!" Skeith asked, still trying fruitlessly to attack Hinata.

"You know something? If you're so smart..." Hinata started.

A flash of light from behind him caught Skeith's attention.

"...how come you've never heard of a distraction?" Akari finished.

_Yuganda dilemma jidai de_

_yakusoku shita hazu no futari sae_

_kidzukazu toorisugite yuku_

_(In the era of distorted dilemmas_

_Even we, who should have made a promise together,_

_pass by each other without noticing)_

"Heaven's Will!!!" Akari exclaimed, thrusting her hands forward and unleashing several beams of light that all converged on Skeith and struck at the same time.

"Nice one, Akari-chan!!!" Hinata giggled, giving Akari a high-five.

"Hey, I try," Akari stated.

"You are really beginning to vex me, brats," Skeith shot back, dark energy concentrating around his staff. "Why not just accept your fate so I can dispose of you quickly?!"

"Sorry, but I'm stubborn," Hinata teased. "Miyu always loved that about me."

Skeith tilted his head aside, a bit confused. "Miyu? Who is that?"

"My sister," Hinata answered. "The sister YOU AND GHADIUS TOOK FROM ME!!!!"

"I didn't know you had a sister, Hinata-chan," Akari noted.

_Touché, Lephise._ "Yeah, I HAD a sister. But Ghadius took her away from me before I met you."

_Inakutatte kawari wa shinai machi wa_

_Boku no sukui wo motome ya shinai darou_

_(The city that won't change even if it's gone_

_Won't seek our salvation, right?)_

"If you don't mind," Skeith continued, gripping his staff tightly. "If you're done talking about your deceased family..."

Hinata shot forward, nailing Skeith in the head with a roundhouse. "If YOU don't mind, I'M NOT DONE SPEAKING YET!!!"

"You know what? I'm done with this crap," Skeith groaned, holding his staff into the sky as dark energy began to surround him. "It's time to stop holding back on you two!!!"

Before long, dark energy had completely surrounded Skeith, and when it cleared, he was now wearing a rather impressive-looking suit of armor, and was carrying two massive blades in his hands. He had also grown to about three times his normal size.

"Stubborn, ignorant elementals!!!" Skeith proclaimed in a distorted voice. "Your time has come!!! Learn to accept your fate or be annihilated and scattered to the winds!!!"

"How about you learn to put a cork in that big fat mouth of yours?!" Hinata shot back. "Akari-chan, I don't know about you, but I'm ready as all hell to put an end to this. How about you?"

"You better believe I am," Akari stated firmly. She was often more confident as the Natsu no Tenshi. "Let's do it, Hinata-chan."

With that, both Hinata and Akari faced down the giant Skeith, ready to put an end to his reign of terror.

_Matomo na yatsu ni narisumashite_

_Dare mo ga kuzuresou na kesshou no naka de_

_(In the guise of someone honest_

_Everyone is inside of a crumbling crystal)_

"Worthless!!!" Skeith exclaimed, spinning his right blade rapidly. Hinata made it a point to stay away from the massive blade until it stopped spinning, at which point she made her move.

"Frozen Stalactite Devastator!!!" Hinata exclaimed, a massive stalactite erupting from her hands and striking Skeith in the face. Seeing as how Skeith was covered in his new armor, the attack didn't do much damage.

"Okay, plan B," Hinata noted. "Your turn, Akari-chan."

"I'd be delighted," Akari giggled before flying towards Skeith, just barely avoiding a swipe from another blade, and aiming at his face.

"Go ahead, brat. Just try your luck."

_"ARAIDASU!!!"_ Akari exclaimed again, a burst of light erupting from her hands and striking Skeith. This attack seemed to do much more damage that Hinata's attack did, leaving the snow elemental to deduce that even with his new armor, Skeith was still horribly vulnerable to light-based attacks.

"ARGH!!! You wretches!!!" Skeith roared.

_Ah nando mo uso wo kasaneru kara_

_(Ah, because I make more and more lies)_

"Look who's scared of the light now!!!" Hinata taunted. "I don't see why you're being such a sissy, Skeith!! YOU were the one who turned your back on the light!! YOU were the one who accepted a life of darkness!! So quit being a coward and face the light!!!"

"All right, THAT'S IT!!!!" Skeith screamed, his echo bouncing all across Okinawa. "I'm through trying to reason with you brats!! I've tried to be merciful, but you just will not take the hint!!! So, let me ask you wretches one question: are you prepared to die?!"

With that, Skeith crossed both of his blades, which began to glow with an ominous light.

_Ai wa itsumo watashi wo kizutsukeru dake tte kimi wa tsubuyaite_

_Shinjiru koto ga kowakute naitan daro?_

_Yowasa wo shitte tsuyoku nare osorezu shinjiru koto de_

_Nikushimi ni kawaru mae no hontou no ai wo shiru no darou_

_(Love only hurts me always... or so you whispered_

_You were scared of believing and cried, didn't you?_

_Learn your weaknesses and become strong, by believing without fear_

_You'll learn of true love, before it turns into hatred, right?)_

"You brats know absolutely nothing!!!" Skeith proclaimed, his voice actually cracking a bit, surprising both elementals. "You would never understand the torture I went through... the sorrow... the pain... the AGONY I HAD TO ENDURE DAY AFTER DAY KNOWING JUST WHAT THE HELL I AM!!!! I turned my back on the light because they would not accept me for who I was!!! Those sons of bitches were SCARED of my powers, so much so that they imprisoned me just because I had dark power inside me!!! They professed to be honorable and truthful when they CLEARLY WERE SCARED OF THE DARKNESS!!!! So don't profess your completely absurd proclamations about 'facing the light' when you freaks turn your backs on MY kind and refuse to accept the darkness!!!!"

Before long, a massive circle of darkness surrounded Hinata and Akari.

"Now know oblivion!!! _ANGELUS ERRARE!!!!_"

Before the two elementals could react, the black circle erupted into a massive hellstorm of dark energy that severely damaged both Hinata and Akari.

The two elementals fell to the invisible ground, having reverted to their normal selves due to the damage they'd just sustained.

"Now do you understand?!" Skeith exclaimed. "You are weak because you fight the darkness and refuse to accept it!!! And you claim it is 'for the best'!!! JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW?!!"

"If you'd just LISTEN for a second," Hinata stated, trying not to exacerbate her injuries. "That was thousands of years ago... lots of us nowadays accept the darkness as part of us!! You know dark and light can't exist without each other!! Akari-chan and I have long since accepted the darkness!!!"

_Hoshigatteta mono wa kokoro ga nai tsukurareta konna sekai wa nain dayo_

_Miterarenai riyuu no kakera mo nai hibi_

_Iyashisa ga yadotteta utsushitsukareta hitomi ni_

_(What I wanted isn't this heartless and contrived world_

_On the unviewable days without fragments of reason_

_Loneliness dwelt in my eyes that are tired of seeing)_

"YOU LIE!!!!" Skeith roared. "The only ones who can accept darkness and light are night elementals, since they wield that very same power!!! You could never be like that Shidoosha kid!!! You wield light powers, yet you refuse to touch dark power!!!"

"Darkness can be dangerous to the wrong person," Akari stated. "As a light elemental, I understand that better than anyone. If it's not handled correctly, dark power can corrupt the user far beyond any hope of salvation... that's why we refuse to wield dark power. Because it's very hard to control..."

"LIAR!!!!" Skeith screamed again. "HOW COULD YOU EVER UNDERSTAND?!!"

_Kokoro wo iyasu uso sore mo ari nante_

_Demo kokoro wo ubau no ga uso darou_

_(Lies that heal the heart, they do exist_

_But it's a lie that will steal my heart, right?)_

Skeith crossed his swords again. "Now face the darkness and learn to accept it!!! _ANGELUS ERRARE!!!_"

Once again, the hellstorm of dark energy slashed mercilessly at Hinata and Akari, yet the two elementals refused to give up.

"You still stand?!" Skeith exclaimed, quite shocked that Hinata and Akari had survived that last attack. "You should have been obliterated!!!"

"We're... made of tougher stuff than we look..." Akari stated.

At that very moment, Hinata noticed something odd about Skeith's new armor. There seemed to be a weak spot...

"A-Akari-chan?" Hinata asked, shivering a bit from the damage she'd taken.

"Yeah?" Akari responded.

_Ai ni chikadzukou tomo kamitsukareru dake... tte boku wa tsubuyaite_

_Shinjiru koto wo yamete ikitetan da yo_

_(Even if I draw closer to love, I'll only be bitten, or so I whispered_

_I stopped believing and lived like that)_

"I think I see that armor's weak spot," Hinata noted. "But I have this odd feeling we're gonna have to hit it with something really powerful in order to finish this guy off..."

"I think I know why you're worried," Akari stated.

"I was worried?" Hinata wondered.

"You know we're going to have to put all of our remaining elemental power into this attack for it to work, right?" Akari stated.

"So... we won't be elementals anymore if we do this?" Hinata queried.

"We'll always be elementals," Akari noted. "I'm sure our powers will just need time to recharge after this."

"I'm for it if you are, Akari-chan," Hinata stated, joining hands with Akari.

"Right. Let's do it," Akari responded, both elementals turning back to Skeith and preparing for their show-stopping attack. They both raised their hands into the air and began to gather their power.

_Zetsubou kuratte tatte mo akireru hodo no omoi de_

_Hakanai inochi shigamitsuite ikya ii_

_(With thoughts that I'm amazed of even if I stand up against despair_

_It's fine if I'm clinging onto a brief life)_

"What... what is this power?!" Skeith wondered, suddenly sensing Hinata and Akari's growing power. "And why do they wait until now to pull it out?!"

_"Fly, snow!!"_ Hinata exclaimed, snowflakes spinning around her hand.

_"Come, light!!"_ Akari exclaimed, sparkles of light spinning around her hand.

Hinata and Akari quickly intertwined their free hands as the dual aura surrounding them began to grow fierce.

_"Seasons may come and seasons may go, but together we can find the strength to overcome the perilous challenges set upon us by mother nature!!!"_

Hinata and Akari's eyes flashed brightly.

_"Elements!! Lend us your power!!!"_

Skeith was actually quite scared now. He could sense the overwhelming power coming from Hinata and Akari, like a soul-opening floodlight that seemed to shine directly on Skeith, freezing him in his place out of sheer fear.

"N-No..." Skeith growled.

"Yes!!!" Akari giggled. "I've always wanted to say that..."

"It's OVER, Skeith!!!" Hinata exclaimed. "You claim that we need to learn to accept the darkness... but I think you need to learn to accept the light!!"

_Hoshigatteta mono wa kokoro ga nai tsukurareta konna mon jya nain dayo_

_Kono machi de ushinatta ai sono imi sagaseba_

_Sukoshi MASHI ni natte susumeru darou_

_(What I wanted isn't this heartless and contrived thing_

_A love lost in this city... If I search for its meaning..._

_I'll become a little better and be able to move on, right?)_

Hinata and Akari brought their free hands back, the energy they'd gathered pulsing like mad.

_"Double Ojamajo Radiant Snow!!!"_

With that, Hinata and Akari thrust their hands forward, unleashing an immense beam of light surrounded by spiraling snowflakes. The attack came so fast that Skeith couldn't get away in time. The massive attack struck his weak spot and pierced right through him.

The beam continued to rip through Skeith for a few seconds, but when the beam dispersed, Hinata could see a gaping hole where their attack had struck.

Almost instantly, Skeith's armor shattered, causing him to revert to his normal form and size as he began to fade away.

"I'm... surrounded by light..." Skeith stated. "Guess I was wrong about the light after all..."

Hinata just nodded.

"Well done," Skeith commended. "You two were definitely worthy opponents. I commend you for that."

"No challenge equals boring!!" Hinata giggled. "That's why warriors seek strong opponents!!!"

"That was a wonderful battle," Akari stated, bowing a bit.

"Indeed..." Skeith responded, his body beginning to break apart. "Elementals, there is another out there like you."

"Really? Who is it?" Hinata wondered.

Skeith just smiled; a smile he hadn't shown since before he was imprisoned long ago.

"It lies in the hands of destiny itself."

With those final words, Skeith faded away completely, and the invisible ground the fight had taken place on instantly shattered.

Just then, Hinata realized something.

"Um... we're, like, over 9,000 miles above Okinawa, right, Akari-chan?" Hinata asked. "And our powers drained to almost nothing after that show-stopper... so..."

Just as Akari realized the same thing, both elementals started falling, only to be just as quickly caught by a seemingly invisible force.

Akari was the first to notice it.

"LEPHISE!!!!"

Indeed, it was Lephise, the immortal princess of Cress.

"Miss me?" Lephise giggled, now completely free of Skeith's control.

"You could say that," Hinata responded. "Good to have you back on our side, Lephise."

"Good to be back," Lephise stated as the three headed for home.

(written by **YukiShinoya444**)

"Hey... Lephise-san?"

"Hmm? What is it, Akari-chan?"

"I'm...a little confused on some of the things that Skeith said."

"Oh," Lephise smiled as they floated down and a laugh soon escaped her lips. "You mean about the other one out there like you, right? There are two actually, but you'll only meet one of them."

"That wasn't all I was thinking about..." Akari responded softly, her eyes glimmering as Hinata stared at her curiously.

_We wouldn't understand, he said..._

"Akari-chan?"

_He said that, but still..._

"Hinata-chan, remember that kid he mentioned? The one he said 'was the only one capable of understanding'?"

_You can never be sure, right?_

Hinata's eyes widened. "The Shidoosha kid?"

"Yeah, that one!!" the light elemental exclaimed, not quite sure why the name caused her to blush.

_You can never be sure._

Her friend grimaced at that.

_Shidoosha Saiki, right? He's the other one like us... But what about his counterpart? Why won't we meet his other?_

"Ah, the Shidoosha brothers... He must have been talking about the younger one," Lephise giggled, sighing a bit. "Ooh, those two..."

"Younger one? His counterpart is his twin?" Akari gasped, surprised. "I-I thought that..."

"It's quite ironic, actually," the Cress princess continued, sighing. "Most elemental counterparts, especially the ones so opposite as those two brothers, usually grow up far apart and later meet by a whim of fate."

_Does Saiki-kun even mention having a brother? He doesn't in the visions I had, but in Akari-chan's..._ Hinata stopped.

_Well, she forgot all about those, so it's a moot point now._

"They must be extra close," the cherry-haired girl stated, reaching up to touch her burning cheeks. "I-I never would have thought..."

"The really ironic thing about Skeith mentioning the younger brother," Lephise laughed, shrugging. "Well, his older brother happens to wield the same light magic that he despises so much."

"Like Akari-chan?" Hinata wondered, staring at Akari in some unknown emotion. "How interesting..."

_Is that why Saiki-kun never mentioned him? Does he hate him the same way Skeith does...?_

"Those two brothers really care about each other," Lephise stated, as if hearing the snow elemental's thoughts. "They were almost close to the point that it was dangerous...but it was amazing in its own way."

"So about the younger one..." Akari began, her voice growing softer. "What's his name?"

"His name..." the Cress princess mused, reaching up to brush back some of her blond hair. "His name was very unique, both of theirs was...considering who they were..."

She nodded, although she was well aware that Lephise had practically avoided the question, she accepted it.

"I see..."

"So because he's a user of dark magic, he understands Skeith's feelings," Hinata stated, looking thoughtful. "It really is ironic that his brother is a light elemental like Akari-chan..."

_His life must be some sort of oxymoron..._

"How are they close then, I wonder?" Akari whispered wistfully, closing her eyes. "Dark magic users like Skeith hate those associated with the light... I guess in a way, it's good... It would be sad if brothers hated each other."

"Not just the fact that they're brothers," Lephise responded, a smile tugging at her lips. "Twin elementals are so amazingly rare that you almost never see them... Added with the opposing elements which are just as rare, and it's surprising."

"There's a deep understanding between counterparts, right?" Hinata asked, surprised. "A deep, invaluable bond that could never be broken? Right? Lephise?"

"Dark elementals are always the loneliest, because everyone's afraid of them..." the Crest princess's smile disappeared, sighing. "That's why they always have tragic endings, because there's no one who's willing to take their chances with them and understand..."

"Like Skeith," Akari murmured, pulling her knees close. "But I feel that way too, like no one will ever understand me... I don't know why, but I do... Does that make me bad, too?"

Hinata stared at her in surprise before smiling, ruffling the cherry-pink hair with a sigh.

"It just makes you lonely, Akari-chan. There's nothing wrong with that."

"His counterpart understands that," Lephise entwined her fingers, smiling again. "He understands that everyone around his brother is too scared to get hurt, but knows that that in turn gives him a fragile heart. He knows this, and it's why he insists on never being separated...as the older sibling, he wants to protect him as long as he can before...well, before he falls in love."

"That's already happened, hasn't it?" Akari asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I should be happy, but I..."

"It's for the best, but that bond they share won't fade...and if a time comes when they need each other..."

Lephise faced them both, a bright smile on her face.

"They won't hesitate for a second's notice to seek out each other's comfort."

Hinata's eyes widen.

_That's right...even if Akari-chan doesn't feel the same way I do anymore...if she ever needed me, she'll come and I'll comfort her without pausing._

A smile slipped across her lips as she reached out to take her friend in her arms, wiping the tears from her rosy cheeks.

"There, there, Akari-chan..."

_And I know I can expect the same thing from her._

Akari sniffled, rubbing at her eyes.

"Thanks Hinata-chan... I don't even know why I'm crying...but I do...want to meet him..."

Hinata's smile widened.

_As a light elemental herself, if there is any remaining loneliness in Saiki-kun's heart..._

"Really, now?"

_She'll want to eliminate it._

Akari smiled herself, her eyes closing.

"Are we...ever going to be that close, Hinata-chan?"

The snow elemental laughed.

"Who knows?"

_Too bad, Yuki-chan's already done that for him. But she'll be relieved...still, I'd like it if I were the same as her... It might be fairer that way._

"Well, here we are."

The two girls perked up as Lephise smiled at them, giggling a bit.

"Well, have a safe trip, it was nice knowing you..."

"Lephise, where are you going?" Akari asked, surprised. She soon walked forward, her eyes glimmering. "Who are you...meeting?"

"Meeting?" Hinata repeated in surprise, letting out a light gasp. "Wait, Lephise..."

"Before I meet with Soru," the Cress princess sighed, facing the snow elemental with a blank expression. "There's something you wanted, right Hinata-chan?"

She nodded, confusing Akari.

_Yes..._

"Hinata-chan?"

_I really want to be able to make Akari-chan happy...but with these memories, I may do more harm than good... Once we meet them, it will be fine. But until then..._

"Please do it to me and to Akari-chan, Lephise."

The light elemental's eyes jolted wide at that.

"D-Do what?! Hinata-chan, what are you talking about?!"

"Akari-chan..."

She stopped, her lips parting in surprise.

Hinata-chan?

"Please trust me..." she murmured, holding out her hand. "Please just trust me, Akari-chan."

"Hinata-chan... I do, I trust you...but..."

Akari frowned, still uncertain. "I... I don't want anything to happen..."

Hinata smiled, shaking her head as the light elemental placed her hand in hers, creating a light glow.

"No need to worry, right?"

Lephise simply smiled, shaking her head before disappearing.

"He was right about you two..."

(Note from Yuki: And here's the ending, whoo! The song is 'Tip Taps Tip' by HalCali.)

(Footage: The same glow increases between the two girls as their eyes slowly open, a smile crossing their lips.)

_Na, na, na, why so why?_

_souzou shitemite yo JUST YOUR LIKE suki na koto_

_(Na, na, na, why so why?_

_Just try imagining JUST YOUR LIKE, the things you love)_

(Footage: A flashback takes place where Hinata turns and sees Akari there for the first time, still cradling Rei in her arms.)

_hitotsu dake ja nai kimi ga hiraku tobira_

_(there is not only one door you can open)_

(Footage: Akari can be seen stumbling forward, shakily placing her hand in Hinata's as the snow elemental simply smiles and nods. The light elemental soon smiles herself.)

_kotae wa soko ni aru no? nai no?_

_I DON'T KNOW ima mo wakan nai yo_

_(is there an answer? Is there not?_

_I don't know; I'm still not sure)_

(Footage: Yume and Miyu can be seen arguing, as stubborn as they normally are.)

_itsudatte bokura wa maigo otona wa iu JUST A CHAIUDO_

_(we're lost because adults are saying "you're just a child")_

(Footage: Hayato quickly breaks them up, and Akari sighs while Hinata just giggles.)

_demo toiteku no ga tanoshiinda_

_sugu ni wa toke nai kamoshin nai_

_(but it's still fun to find the solution_

_though it may not be found very quickly)_

(Footage: Hinata and Akari, followed by their siblings are seen walking along the Crest kingdom, talking about some undetermined matter. Akari soon frowns as we pan up to see her close her eyes.)

_minna hate nai hatena akirame nai tokeru madewa_

_(but everyone won't give up till it's solved)_

(Footage: Yume and Rei are seen beaming as they embrace their older sister and Hayato smiles as he turns away.)

_shippai shite mo nee_

_ALRIGHT to itte choudai_

_(Even if you mess up, it's okay,_

_'alright', please say it...)_

(Footage: Hinata can be seen reaching towards Akari only to pull her into a tight embrace, gently stroking her hair. Akari's eyes widen and fill with tears before she returns the hug.)

_seiippai IMEEJI no umi oyoi de_

_akiramenaide hate nai hate na_

_(swim in the sea you imagined_

_don't give up until it's solved)_

(Footage: Hayato in his new clothes is seen gesturing to the kingdom, much to the amazement of his siblings as well as Hinata and Miyu.)

_Na, na, na why so why?_

_souzou shitemite yo JUST YOUR LIKE suki na koto_

_(Na, na, na, why so why?_

_Just try imagining JUST YOUR LIKE, the things you love)_

(Footage: Images of Miyu, Yume and Rei, followed by Hayato flash through the screen. Lephise soon appears and smiles brightly.)

_hitotsu dake ja nai kimi shika shira nai ashita_

_(there is not only one tomorrow you know)_

(Footage: The flashbacks fade as Hinata and Akari open their eyes, surprised with those same eyes glimmering.)

_TIP TAPS TIP TAPS TIP TAPS_

_(SO LET'S SEE)_

(Footage: They look around in confusion and look back at each other in confusion.)

_TIP TAPS TIP TAPS TIP TAPS_

(Footage: As we close up, Hinata's hand can still be seen closed around Akari's.)

**Epilogue**

"...Hinata-chan? What just happened?"

"I don't know, Akari-chan..."

"Really?"

Hinata nodded, turning thoughtful.

"Um, let's see... We were playing together, and now we're here... How strange..."

Akari frowned.

"We were playing? I thought we were doing something more important..."

"Aw really?"

"I could be wrong, but..."

"At least we're together right?"

"Y-Yes, but..."

They stopped when something flew past them, cutting off a few inches of Akari's cherry-pink locks. Hinata's eyes widened as they turned to face none other than Gaul who smirked, having thrown one of his long swords at them.

"I assure you two, I am not as easy as Ghadius and Skeith were... Did you forget?"

And the two girls responded the only way they could at the moment.

"GIANT MONKEY!!!" they screamed in fear, rushing off. "KYAAAA!!!"

"I prefer APE, you two bratlings!!"

"H-Hinata-chan, who IS that?!" Akari gasped while they ran, still so confused. "I thought monkeys were supposed to be NICE!!"

"I-I don't know, but it can't be good, Akari-chan!!"

"Nowhere to run now," Gaul smirked and soon gasped when a gold light surrounded Hinata and a ruby light surrounded Akari.

"What is this?!"

_"I'm not letting you get them, Gaul,"_ a mysterious voice played, making him growl in pure fury.

"Lephise... you little wrench."

"Hinata-chan...?!" Akari yelped as their hands separated, the lights throwing them far apart and through the sky. "HINATA-CHAN!!!"

"AKARI-CHAN!!!" Hinata yelled, thrashing about to get to her friend, reaching out as they were yanked away. "AKARI-CHAAAAN!!!"

Akari's eyes filled with tears as she shot through the sky and closed her eyes, just letting herself shoot through the sky like some sort of comet as everything soon went black.

And then, she found herself in some unknown territory, her body twitching as her eyes remained shut. Finally, she heard two voices.

"S-Saiki-kun! Is she...?!" a girl's voice gasped, sounding completely shocked.

"She's alive..." a boy's voice responded, that same voice saturated with relief. "She's just fainted from fatigue by the looks of it."

There was a sigh of relief on the other end as well before Akari felt a soft, warm hand on her forehead, the girl's voice asking,

"What should we do, Saiki-kun? Bring her to a doctor?"

"That..."

She groaned, getting both their attention.

"...apparently won't be necessary," he finished, taking Akari into his arms as he tenderly smoothed down her hair. Akari's breath quickened at the gesture, feeling completely at ease from the warmth and the gentle heartbeat in her ear.

_S-So nice..._

"Hey... Hey. Are you okay?" he asked, sounding genuinely worried. Akari's eyes slowly opened, taking in the boy's face. Shoulder-length black hair with coal-colored eyes that seemed to dig into her ruby-colored ones.

_Those eyes..._

"H...Huh? What...?"

She stared at him some more before directing her gaze to the girl, who had hair just as dark as his, only longer and held by a spring green ponytail holder towards the bottom. Not to mention she had sparkling brown eyes...which sparkled even more as she smiled brightly.

"Um... Hi! What's your name?"

"A...Akari." Akari responded, eyes wide. "It's Akari."

"Oh, what a pretty name!" She squealed, making Akari blush before introducing herself. "My name is Yuki! And this is my boyfriend and future husband, Saiki-kun!"

_Husband? No wonder, they make a good couple... Still, I feel like I know them somehow..._

Saiki simply stared at his said girlfriend in annoyance before turning back to Akari, making her suck in her breath.

"So Akari-chan...do you need anything?"

Akari's eyes widened, remembering Hinata right then and there.

"Help... I need help!!"

_Where am I anyway?!_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"You do realize that you could just use magic, right?" a boy teased to his bundled-up girlfriend.

"Even so, I'm not taking any chances," a girl responded, pulling off her stocking cap and shedding her winter clothes to reveal her normal outfit. "This weather doesn't seem natural."

"It's probably just that time of the month," the boy replied. "Remember those five straight days of rain we had back in America?"

"Please don't remind me. I'm STILL trying to forget that disaster ever happened," the girl stated matter-of-factly. "Though you have to admit, the snow does give everything a bit of a luminescent glow, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. I don't know why I never noticed that before," the boy replied.

The boy suddenly noticed something out of the corner of her eye: she looked out the window, and noticed a streak of gold light falling down just shy of the shop.

"Nick!! Did you see that?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I did," Nick responded. "That's something you don't see every day. You thinking what I'm thinking, Momoko?"

"Get your winter clothes, Nick. We'd better go check it out," Momoko advised, readorning her winter clothes as Nick raced upstairs to grab his own.

About five minutes later, the two lovers were off, trudging through the literally knee-deep snow on their way to where the mysterious gold streak had fallen.

Once they'd arrived at the Jewelry World MAHO-dou, Nick was the first to notice that a young girl no older than Momoko was laying in the snow there, seemingly unconscious.

"Oh, my god! Is she..." Momoko asked.

"She's fine. I can still sense her aura," Nick stated. This was one of Nick's newest special abilities gained from exposure to the Magic Dimension: he could sense the auras of any living thing.

"You think she's all right?" Momoko wondered. "She's definitely not wearing any winter clothes..."

Hinata opened her eyes, wondering just what had happened.

_Wait. Where'd Akari-chan go?!_ Hinata thought, her racing thoughts calming down when she noticed two teenagers approaching her.

_They look like a cute couple... but why do I feel like I know them from somewhere?_

"They're... they're just like your eyes, Nick..." Momoko noted.

"Yeah... the resemblance is uncanny..." Nick responded before bending down and softly ruffling the new girl's hair.

"Well, good morning there," Nick stated. "What's your name?"

She looked a little hesitant at first.

_May as well play it safe._

"My... my name's Hinata."

(Ha-ha... and that's how it all started...)


End file.
